The men's doubles pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri failed to win the 2025 Korea Open after making numerous unforced errors in the final of the badminton tournament.
They were forced to admit the strength of the host's doubles pair, Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae, with 16-21 and 21-23, at Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon, Sunday.
"Kim/Seo's defense was incredibly strong, very tight, and difficult to penetrate. I also made several unforced errors at critical points. This is still homework that needs to be improved," Fajar said in a PBSI statement on Sunday.
Fajar emphasized that he had tried his best to face Kim/Seo, who were full of confidence because they were performing in front of their own audience.
"Unfortunately, in the second game, we had the opportunity to force a rubber, but we couldn't capitalize after taking a 20-19 lead," said Fajar.
Fajar considers Kim/Seo to be the best pair in the world at the moment and consistent because they are both entering the golden age of their careers.
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"This year is Kim/Seo's year, their golden age, winning important tournaments like the All England and the World Championships," said the 30-year-old badminton player.
"These important titles definitely boost our confidence, not to mention our excellent quality. Our defense, our variety of play, and our focus."
Fikri added that they needed to increase their stamina in the game considering their inconsistency in the last four tournament series.
"We haven't done too badly in these first four tournaments, but there's a lot to evaluate if we want to stay consistently at the top level," said Fikri.
Fajar/Fikri's failure meant that Indonesia only won one title from this BWF Super 500 tournament, with men's singles pair Jonatan Christie defeating Anders Antonsen in the final.
