Arjun-Hariharan Reach Historic Indonesia Open Quarterfinals as Others Exit

India endured a mixed day at the Indonesia Open 2026, with the men’s doubles pair of MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan emerging as the lone bright spot by reaching the quarterfinals of the BWF Super 1000 event in Jakarta. 

The pair produced a stunning comeback victory over Malaysia’s Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai, while PV Sindhu, Ayush Shetty, and the mixed doubles combination of Rohan Kapoor and Shivani Gadde bowed out of the tournament. For Arjun and Hariharan, the result marked a significant milestone in their careers as they entered their maiden quarterfinal at a Super 1000 event, one of the highest levels on the BWF World Tour.

The Indian duo faced a stern challenge from the Malaysian pair, who had earlier defeated Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty at the All England Championships. Kang and Tai started strongly and kept the Indians under pressure with their aggressive attacking game.

Although Arjun and Hariharan fought back at various stages of the opening game, the Malaysians maintained control. Holding a comfortable 11-7 advantage at the mid-game interval, Kang and Tai continued dictating the rallies after the break and eventually secured the first game 21-16.

The second game proved to be a turning point.

Both pairs traded points in the early exchanges, with neither side able to establish a significant lead. The contest remained evenly poised as the Indians edged ahead 11-10 at the interval.

After the restart, Arjun and Hariharan began to play with greater confidence and aggression. Their improved attacking intent allowed them to seize momentum, and despite a brief fightback from the Malaysians, the Indian pair held their nerve to claim the second game 21-15 and force a decider. The third game appeared to be slipping away from the Indians when Kang and Tai surged into an 11-6 lead at the mid-game break. The Malaysians continued applying pressure and extended their advantage to 16-12, putting themselves within touching distance of victory.

However, Arjun and Hariharan produced a remarkable comeback.

Displaying tremendous composure under pressure, the Indian pair won four consecutive points to level the scores at 16-16. From there, they continued their momentum and closed out the match 21-19 to complete an impressive 16-21, 21-15, 21-19 victory. The win earned them a quarterfinal clash against seventh-seeded Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.

The breakthrough result adds to what has already been a memorable season for the world No. 30 pair. Earlier this year, they gained attention after defeating former World No. 6 pair Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi at the India Open and were also part of India’s bronze medal-winning Thomas Cup campaign.

While Arjun and Hariharan celebrated a career-defining victory, Ayush Shetty’s impressive Indonesia Open run came to an end in the men's singles second round. The young Indian started brightly against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu and looked in control during the opening game. Taking an 11-8 lead into the interval, Shetty maintained his intensity and closed out the first game 21-16.

However, Lee responded strongly in the second game. Capitalising on a rise in unforced errors from Shetty, the Hong Kong shuttler established a 11-7 advantage at the break and comfortably levelled the match by winning 21-13.

The momentum remained with Lee in the deciding game. Although Shetty raced to an early 3-0 lead, Lee quickly turned the contest around with a combination of powerful smashes and precise drop shots. He built a commanding 11-5 lead and eventually moved to match point at 20-10. To his credit, Shetty saved four match points and continued fighting, but Lee eventually sealed the contest 21-14 to advance to the quarterfinals.

In women’s singles, PV Sindhu’s struggles against World No. 1 An Se Young continued. The Indian star suffered her tenth consecutive defeat against the South Korean, losing 17-21, 15-21 in straight games.

Sindhu showed glimpses of her best form during the opening game and battled back to level the score at 14-14 after trailing at the interval. However, An once again demonstrated why she currently dominates women’s badminton, raising her level at crucial moments to secure the opener 21-17.

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The second game followed a similar pattern. An established a commanding 11-4 lead at the break and never allowed Sindhu to gain momentum. Despite the Indian’s efforts, the South Korean maintained complete control and wrapped up the match 21-15.

The mixed doubles pair of Rohan Kapoor and Shivani Gadde also exited the competition after a straight-games defeat to French duo Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue.

The Indian pair struggled to match the consistency and attacking quality of the French combination and went down 13-21, 12-21.

With Sindhu, Shetty, and Rohan-Shivani eliminated, India’s hopes in Jakarta now rest solely on MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan. Having already achieved a career-best Super 1000 result, the Indian duo will look to continue their giant-killing run when they take on seventh seeds Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin for a place in the semifinals.