Inp.polri.go.id - Batam. Indonesia’s men’s doubles pair, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto, won the Kumamoto Japan Masters 2024 title after a hard-fought victory over Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi on Sunday (17/11/2024).

The match, held at Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium on Sunday, ended with a 21-15, 17-21, 21-17 win for the Indonesian duo, according to antaranews.com.

Fajar and Rian started strong in the first set, employing swift attacks that left their opponents struggling. The All England 2024 champions led comfortably by six points at 8-2 and maintained their pace, closing the first set 21-15.

The second set saw fierce exchanges, with Hoki/Kobayashi capitalizing on errors to surge ahead. Despite Fajar/Rian’s attempts to close the gap, the Japanese pair leveled the match with a 21-17 win.

In the decisive third set, Fajar/Rian regained control, building a 9-4 lead and keeping momentum after the interval. 

“We stayed focused and pushed through despite the pressure,” Fajar said. 

The Indonesian pair secured four consecutive points to seal the final set 21-17.

The victory marked their first Super 500 title since the All England earlier this year.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)