JAKARTA - Indonesian men's singles badminton player Alwi Farhan proved that the seeded status is not a guarantee in the men's singles sector after advancing to the 16th round of the 2026 All England Open with a dramatic victory over Indian representative Ayush Shetty.
"Several seeded players were eliminated directly in the first round, which is a real proof in men's singles, the seeded player is not always a benchmark. Anyone can win the match. Everyone has the same opportunity, so whoever is more ready, he will win the match," said Alwi in an official statement from the PP PBSI, Thursday as reported by Antara.
In the 32-team round of 16 match at the Utilita Arena, Birmingham, England, Thursday morning WIB, Alwi won 19-21, 21-9, 21-17 in 75 minutes.
Alwi's victory came amid the fall of a number of seeded players in the first round, including top seed Shi Yu Qi from China and third seed Anders Antonsen from Denmark.
For Alwi, appearing in a tournament as big as the All England Open is an emotional experience in itself. He admitted that he was grateful to be able to realize his dream of appearing in the world's oldest badminton tournament.
"First of all, thank God. It is an honor and pride for me to be able to play in All England. A dream come true," he said.
Alwi actually started the match quite convincingly. He even led by six points in the first game.
But the momentum changed after the match was stopped several times due to Shetty's knee injury and had to receive medical treatment.
Shetty took advantage of the situation to rise. After being 10-16 behind, the Indian singles slowly chased down to tie the score at 17-17 and finally won the first game 21-19.
Alwi admitted that he lost focus due to the interruption of the match. "I think I lost momentum in the first game because the match was stopped several times due to a medical break. But I tried to stay focused on every point," he said.
Entering the second game, Alwi appeared more aggressive and immediately took control of the game. He was 11-4 ahead at the interval and continued to press until closing the game with a landslide score of 21-9.
In the deciding game, Alwi showed his mental maturity. He was five points ahead at the interval and was able to keep the distance until the score was 18-12. Although Shetty was able to reduce the gap, Alwi's continuous attack ensured victory 21-17.
Alwi said the key to his recovery lies in his ability to overcome self-doubt.
"In the second and third games I was able to bounce back. I was able to fight against myself, against the hesitation that was inside me," he said.
This result also confirms that the men's singles sector at All England this year takes place without certainty.
The fall of a number of seeded players opens wide opportunities for young and non-seeded players to go far.
"What is certain is that I want to try every point. Because here we never really know each other's strengths," said Alwi.
Next, Alwi will face Taiwan's seventh-seeded representative Chou Tien Chen who won after his compatriot Chi Yu Jen withdrew with a score of 17-21, 21-14, 11-3.
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