Indonesia\'s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan celebrate after winning their men\'s doubles final match against Japan\'s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi at the 2019 Badminton World Championships in St. Jakobshalle Basel, Basel, Switzerland, on Sunday, 25 August 2019.
BASEL, SUNDAY — The world champion title seized by Hendra Setiawan at the 2019 Badminton World Championship puts him in an equal position to another Indonesian badminton legend, Liliyana "Butet" Natsir. Hendra won his fourth title with Mohammad Ahsan, a fellow athlete in men’s doubles who also played with him to win the 2013 and 2015 world championships.
In the final match at St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland, on Sunday (25/8/2019), Hendra and Ahsan defeated Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of Japan 25-23, 9-21, 21-15. Another title was won by Hendra in men’s doubles with Markis Kido in 2007.
"The previous final match made us able to enjoy the game more. We were also mentally prepared because it is an important factor to play in the finals," said Hendra, who won the world championship on his 35th birthday.
These results let Hendra book a similar record to Butet\'s as an Indonesian badminton player with the most world titles. Butet, who retired as an athlete in January 2019, became a mixed doubles champion in 2005 and 2007 with Nova Widhianto. Butet again won the title with Tontowi Ahmad in 2013 and 2017.
Butet also praised Hendra\'s achievement. Quoted by Antara News, Butet said she hopes their enthusiasm to continue to achieve can be followed by other players. "To be honest, I was surprised by their achievement in the final [match]. They are consistent since deciding to play in men’s doubles. That spirit must be emulated. Age is not an obstacle," said Butet, who was in Kudus.
After winning in 2015, they did not play in doubles at the 2017 and 2018 World Championships. Hendra, who partnered with Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia in 2017, did not qualify for Glasgow, Scotland. At the same time, Ahsan and Rian Agung Saputro surprised many by appearing in the final.
The following year, Hendra and Tan qualified for the championships in Nanjing, China, based on world rankings. However, the Indonesian badminton association (PP PBSI) did not allow Hendra, who had returned to the National Training Board, to play in Nanjing because he had a partner athlete from a different country. Thus, the title from Basel became the first world title for Hendra and Ahsan after returning to play in doubles.
This title proves Hendra and Ahsan\'s success in returning to the world\'s top competition, as well as opening the opportunity to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They were the only representatives of Indonesia who qualified for the finals of major tournaments in 2019, namely the All England, Indonesia Open and World Championship, bringing home titles from the All England and the World Championship.
For the family, Hendra\'s achievements are a reflection of the discipline of the youngest of three siblings.
"I\'m actually not too surprised. Hendra does have extraordinary determination and discipline," said former badminton player Silvia Anggraeni, Hendra\'s older sister.
In women\'s singles, Pusarla V. Sindhu made history by becoming the first world champion from India. The offensive game she showed from the beginning made Sindhu win over Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 21-7, 21-7 in 38 minutes.
This was Sindhu\'s first victory after losing in the final matches in the last two championships. Sindhu lost to Okuhara in the 2017 final and Carolina Marin of Spain in 2018.
"This victory is important for me. After two bronze and two silver, finally I won gold," Sindhu told Antara News.
Meanwhile, Japan won two titles through defending champion men\'s singles Kento Momota and women\'s doubles Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara. Momota won a landslide victory, 21-9, 21-3, over Anders Antonsen of Denmark, while Matsumoto and Nagahara defeated Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota 21-11, 20-22, 23-21.
The only Chinese representatives in the finals, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, defended the mixed doubles title by conquering Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand 21-8, 21-12. (IYA)
