JAKARTA - The men's doubles Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri managed to beat the pair of Chen Zhi Ray/Lin Yu Chieh to secure the ticket to the second round of the 2026 Daihatsu Indonesia Masters.
The second seed managed to lock in a two-game straight victory over the Chinese Taipei pair with a final score of 21-16 and 21-10 at the Istora Senayan Stadium, Jakarta, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
"We have met often. Two weeks ago we also played against them at the 2026 Malaysia Open. It is not easy to meet those who have extraordinary skills and power," said Fajar after the match.
This result extended Fajar/Fikri's sweet record against Chen/Lin to three wins without a return. The previous two victories were also completed in a match that took place in two straight sets.
This is their second clash this year after the second round of the 2026 Malaysia Open two weeks ago. At that time, Fajar/Fikri's journey stopped in the semifinals, losing to the host representatives Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik.
"Today we continue to study the game because in Malaysia we play very crowded (tight), yes. Before the match, today we continue to watch the video against them in Malaysia, that's it in terms of technique," said Fajar.
Fajar/Fikri will next likely face their compatriots, Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana, who have not played against Zhi-Wei He/Huang Jui-Hsuan when this news was written.
At the 2026 Indonesia Masters, Fajar/Fikri carried the burden of the target to come out as champions. If they manage to climb to the top of the podium, it will end the streak after winning the title at the China Open in July 2025, which was their first title as a pair.
"PBSI is targeting us both to be able to win here (Indonesia Masters 2026) because one of them is the status as the host and we haven't won a title for a long time, yes, after winning the China Open last year," said Fajar.
Fajar/Fikri is the second men's doubles to secure a ticket to the second round. Before them, the pair of Raymond Indra/Nikolaus Joaquin had previously defeated Eloi Adam/Leo Rossi (France).
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