Global top badminton pairs should watch out for Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan in 2020. The pair with the oldest average age among the world’s top 10 can be a “dark horse” if they qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
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GUANGZHOU, SUNDAY — Global top badminton pairs should watch out for Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan in 2020. The pair with the oldest average age among the world’s top 10 can be a “dark horse” if they qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. They know how to deal with pressure in critical moments.
They displayed this capability in 2019. Out of 19 tournaments, they made it through to the finals in 11, despite winning in only four, less than Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo-Marcus Fernaldi Gideon with eight titles.
Nevertheless, three out of their four titles are from the big matches: All England, the World Championships and the BWF World Tour finals. The fourth was from the New Zealand Open, which is a BWF Super 300, four levels below the BWF Finals that they won in Guangzhou, China, on Sunday (15/12/2019).
In the finals in Tianhe Gymnasiums, Hendra-Ahsan defeated Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo and Yuta Watanabe, 24-22, 21-19. It was the third title for the pair, known as “The Daddies” in the same event after two previous ones in 2013 and 2015. Other than Hendra-Ahsan, Kevin-Marcus have also won in 2017.
Hendra-Ahsan’s victory was the only one for Indonesia in Guangzhou. The hope for gold in the men’s singles was dashed after Anthony Sinisuka Ginting was defeated by Kento Momota, 21-17, 17-21, 14-21.
Despite defeats in seven other finals, including four from Kevin-Marcus, Hendra-Ahsan know how to deal with heavier pressures in big games. Hendra, 35, and Ahsan, 32, always play cool under pressure in every match.
In facing Endo and Watanabe, who defeated Kevin-Marcus in five matches in 2019, they lagged behind, 10 to 16, in their second game. With cool and cunning, they directed tricky shots at their opponents and turned things around.
With an average age of 33.5 years and a position as world No. 2, they are the oldest pair among the world’s top 10.
With an average age of 33.5 years and a position as world No. 2, they are the oldest pair among the world’s top 10. Statistically, Hendra and Ahsan excelled over six out of the top 10 pairs in 2019, including against Endo-Watanabe (5-0) who always won against Kevin-Marcus in five matches. The duet, which has paired since 2012, only lost against Kevin-Marcus (0-5) and South Korea’s Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung-jae (0-1).
Currently, they are slowly rebuilding their golden years of 2013-2015. After surprisingly winning the All England in March – within five years from their previous All England victory – Hendra-Ahsan won their second title in the New Zealand Open. “Winning in the BWF Super 300 feels like winning in the Super 1000,” Ahsan said at the time. He was grateful he could still compete against younger athletes.
Their motivation, built through training no less harsh than what other athletes undergo, has brought them to exceed expectations. Hendra aims to return to the world top 10 but never dreamt of reaching this high. “We are grateful and happy. This year has been extraordinary for us, but we need to be more prepared next year. This is more important for us,” said Hendra, who aims to join the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. (IYA)