The Story Behind The Screen Of Kevin/Marcus's Backturn

JAKARTA - The Indonesian men's doubles coach, Herry Iman Pierngadi (Herry IP) revealed the facts behind Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon's decision to withdraw in the last 16 of the Indonesia Masters 2023. He realized that one of his foster children had already felt an unsuitable condition.

During the third game interval against Liu Yu Chen/Ou Xuan Yi at Istora Senayan, Thursday, January 26, Marcus gave up and made the opponent win a ticket to the semifinals.

The decision was taken because the athlete felt pain in his stomach. Herry IP revealed that he actually knew Marcus was playing with pain.

It was seen during the final points of the first game.

But the coach deliberately did not ask Marcus because at that time they were in a superior situation. Only at the change to the second game, Marcus expressed the pain he suffered to the coach.

"Actually, from the first set, Marcus has pulled his muscle. I just don't want to ask, let it be because the first game won," said the coach about the condition of the player.

"Then in the second game, he (Marcus Gideon) said there was pain. Then I said try it first, if you can't just give up," Herry continued.

The coach realized that because he saw the movement of his foster children had started to slow down and was uncomfortable. For that he did not want to force it further.

"It turns out that when I look at the naked eye from my position the movement is slow, so I think the concentration has been disturbed. I said give up and don't continue. Then he said try two-three punches and 11 points a break," said the coach.

Regarding Marcus's continued condition, Herry IP admitted that he did not know whether the injury was due to a relapse. Because previously Marcus Gideon experienced the same situation while competing in three tournaments in the series of Indonesia Badminton Festival 2021 in Nusa Dua, Bali.