Indonesian men's doubles pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri said mutual trust was the key to their success in advancing to the final of the 2026 BWF World Tour Super 1000 China Open in Changzhou, China, on Saturday.
The second seeds eliminated the host pair Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang in a tight three-game match with a score of 21-19, 14-21, 21-19 in the semifinals.
"Returning to the China Open final, and our second final in two consecutive weeks, is thanks to mutual trust. I trust Fikri, and vice versa. We also always believe in everyone on the team," Fajar said in an official PBSI statement after the match.
Fajar/Fikri faced immense pressure from Liang/Wang, who were playing in front of their home crowd. After winning the first game, the Indonesian pair lost the second, forcing the match to be decided in a third game.
Fajar/Fikri led 13-8 after the interval in the deciding game. However, unfavorable court conditions allowed Liang/Wang to rally and reduce the deficit.
