Coach Targets 3 Men's Doubles To Enter The Top 10 World

Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Daniel Marthin are targeted by PBSI to penetrate the top 10 in the world (doc. PBSI).

JAKATA The men's doubles head coach, Antonius Budi Ariantho, has set a target that the three men's doubles pair PBSI Cipayung can penetrate the world's top 10 in this year's calendar.

Currently, the only pair in the PBSI National Training Center perched at the top 10 is Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto. The 2024 All England champion occupies the fourth position in the world.

Anton hopes that the other two pairs who can follow to the top 10 are Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana.

"The target in the next year is to penetrate the top 10. I hope these three couples can achieve it," said Anton at an event at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.

Currently Fikri/Daniel and Leo/Bagas are ranked 16th and 17th respectively. Thus, their chances of competing to the top 10 of the world are the highest.

Overall, currently Indonesia actually has a Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Mohammad pair Reza Pahlevi Isfahani in the top 10. However, they are athletes outside the PBSI National Training Center.

Anton admitted that it was not easy to add the men's doubles representative to the top 10 because currently the competition in the sector was so tight.

"So, players must be ready in every match. The term preparation must be mature."

"It's not just readiness. There must be even harder preparation times," said Anton.

The men's doubles sector is one of Indonesia's mainstays. However, recently the performance of the number experienced a very significant decline.

Previously, Indonesia's men's doubles were recorded as controlling the top 10 in the era of Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan still exist.

At that time, the two names were accompanied by Fajar/Rian who are still surviving. However, in recent years the men's doubles test has even piled up.