Indonesian men's doubles pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani defeated Malaysia's experienced and talented young pair Aaron Chia/Aaron Tai in straight games 21-17, 21-19 in the round of 32 of the 2026 China Open in Changzhou, China, on Tuesday.
"We're certainly grateful to have won the first round. With the windy field conditions and the new Aaron duo, we had to be cautious from the start. We tried to maintain control of the match, keep pressing, and get ahead to increase our chances of getting points," said Sabar in an official PBSI statement after the match.
Sabar/Reza attempted to take the offensive initiative from the start by dominating the frontcourt play. This pattern allowed them to maintain pressure while limiting the Malaysian pair's opportunities to develop their game.
However, Aaron Chia/Aaron Tai continued to put up a tough fight, especially in the second game. Sabar/Reza had to work hard to penetrate their opponents' defense before securing a two-point victory.
