Fajar/Fikri Successfully Defend China Open Title
JAKARTA - The men's doubles Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri managed to defend the title of the China Open after defeating the first-seeded Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae (South Korea) in this year's edition.
Fajar/Fikri, who are ranked as the second seeds in the Super 1000-level event, successfully climbed to the highest podium of the 2026 China Open after winning the three-game match 16-21, 21-19, 21-19 on Sunday, July 26, 2026.
"This is our blessing and the result of our hard work. Hopefully this will be a momentum for men's doubles to get better, get up again, and our juniors will be more motivated," said Fajar in an official statement received after the match.
Fajar/Fikri were forced to go through a really dramatic match to lift their first Super 1000 champion trophy this year. This is also their second title in two consecutive weeks.
The pair, who are currently ranked second in the world, previously won the Japan Open last week which was BWF Super 750 level. They defeated the same opponent to succeed in the Sakura Country, but when the match was only two games.
"We actually have [with] the remnants of the team. It was a very tiring two weeks, but we tried to keep going and find ways to win the match," said Fajar.
The two titles won by Fajar/Fikri also ended Indonesia's wait to lift the Super 1000 and 750 titles this year. Before their success, Indonesia's best achievement in the 2026 BWF World Tour calendar was the Super 500 title.
This result also became a turning point for Fajar/Fikri after repeatedly trying to win the next title since they were paired. After winning the China Open last year to mark the start of their duet, the second and subsequent titles did not come.
Before breaking the deadlock in Japan, the pair have been recorded five times in the final after winning the 2025 China Open. However, it all ended with runner-up all.
In addition, at the beginning of this year, their journey also experienced ups and downs, including a loss in the first round of the Indonesia Open at the beginning of June. The defeat was painful because they actually wanted to cheer in front of their own supporters.
"The results were not optimal at the Indonesia Open, at home we were hit, but from there there must be motivation for us to answer all the doubts," said Fajar.
Fajar/Fikri is the only Indonesian representative who can advance far into the final round and come out as champions at the China Open. The best journey of the other representatives is the quarterfinals, which can be achieved by Jonatan Christie, Putri Kusuma Wardani, and Rachel Allessy Rose/Febi Setianingrum.