In the match held at the Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Friday, the eighth seed surrendered 19-21, 10-21 amidst the pressure of aggressive play and the full support of the Malaysian public.
"We actually led in the first game, but we couldn't maintain our momentum and ended up losing by a narrow margin," Sabar said in an official statement from the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI).
Sabar/Reza played competitively in the first game. Coached by Hendra Setiawan, they capitalized on their opponents' openings and closed the interval with an 11-9 lead. However, after the break, the momentum turned as Chia/Soh displayed a more composed and aggressive performance, winning four consecutive points to turn the game around.
Losing the opening game impacted Sabar/Reza's confidence going into the second game. They fell behind early on after Chia/Soh raced to a seven-point lead, while the home team struggled to keep up with the pace.
"Their tempo was much faster and we have to admit they played very well," said Sabar.
