Hariharan-Arjun Reach Maiden Indonesia Open Super 1000 Quarterfinals with Comeback Win

India’s men’s doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun scripted one of the biggest wins of their careers on Thursday, battling back from a game down to secure a place in their maiden BWF World Tour Super 1000 quarterfinal at the Indonesia Open 2026 in Jakarta.

The world No. 30 Indian pair overcame Malaysia’s Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing 16-21, 21-15, 21-19 in a thrilling second-round contest that lasted 48 minutes. The victory marks a significant milestone for the duo, who continue to establish themselves among the rising forces in international men’s doubles badminton.

Their achievement becomes even more notable considering the quality of the opposition. Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing had stunned India’s star pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty at the All England Championships earlier this year and had also benefited from Satwik’s injury retirement during the opening round of the Indonesia Open.

Against the Malaysians, Hariharan and Arjun showed tremendous composure and resilience after losing the opening game.

The Indians struggled to find rhythm early in the contest as the Malaysian pair dictated the pace with aggressive attacking play and sharp net exchanges. Aaron and Kang maintained control throughout most of the first game and eventually closed it out 21-16 to move within a game of the quarterfinals.

However, the Indian duo refused to let the match slip away.

In the second game, Hariharan and Arjun gradually settled into the contest. They improved their defensive coverage, became more effective in the flat exchanges and started winning crucial rallies around the mid-game interval.

The momentum slowly shifted in India's favour as the pair began forcing errors from their opponents. With confidence growing, Hariharan and Arjun maintained their advantage and comfortably secured the second game 21-15 to force a decider.

The final game produced the most dramatic phase of the encounter.

The Malaysian pair once again looked poised to take control and led for significant portions of the game. Even late in the contest, the Indians found themselves trailing 16-17 with the pressure firmly on their shoulders.

Yet, at the crucial moment, Hariharan and Arjun displayed remarkable maturity. They won a series of key rallies through disciplined defence and sharp finishing at the net to wrest back the initiative.

With momentum finally on their side, the Indians held their nerve in the closing stages and completed a memorable comeback by clinching the deciding game 21-19. The result sends them into their first-ever Super 1000 quarterfinal, a significant achievement in one of the most prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour calendar.

The breakthrough run continues what has been an encouraging season for the Indian pair. Hariharan and Arjun first grabbed attention at the India Open earlier this year when they defeated former world No. 6 pair Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia. Their performances throughout the season earned them a place in India’s Thomas Cup squad, where the team went on to secure a historic bronze medal.

Now, with another major result under their belt, the duo has further strengthened its credentials on the international stage.

The challenge, however, only gets tougher from here.

Awaiting them in the quarterfinals are seventh-seeded Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin, one of the strongest men’s doubles pairs currently on the circuit. The Indians will need another high-quality performance if they are to continue their dream run in Jakarta.

While Hariharan and Arjun provided Indian badminton with a major positive, it was a disappointing day elsewhere for the country’s challenge at the Indonesia Open. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu saw her campaign come to an end after a straight-games defeat against reigning Olympic champion and world No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea.

Sindhu fought hard and showed glimpses of the form that had taken her to the quarterfinals in Singapore last week. However, An Se Young’s consistency and defensive quality proved too strong as the Korean secured a 21-17, 21-15 victory to advance.

The defeat continues Sindhu’s search for a deep run at a major tournament, though her performances over the past fortnight have shown encouraging signs after a challenging period. There was disappointment as well for Ayush Shetty in the men’s singles draw.

The young Indian, who had produced a stunning comeback victory over China’s Weng Hong Yang in the opening round, started strongly against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu and captured the first game 21-16.

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However, Lee responded impressively and gradually took control of the contest. The experienced Hong Kong shuttler claimed the next two games 21-13 and 21-14 to eliminate the Indian youngster.

Despite the exits of Sindhu and Ayush, India still has reason to celebrate thanks to the breakthrough performance of Hariharan and Arjun.

Their run to the quarterfinals represents another important step in the development of India’s next generation of doubles players and offers hope of a strong finish at one of badminton’s biggest tournaments.