Indonesia experienced a day of mixed fortunes at the Australian Open Super 500 in Sydney, as two young men’s singles players booked their places in the quarter-finals while the experienced men’s doubles duo of Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin saw their campaign cut short. On Thursday at the Quaycentre, Moh Zaki Ubaidillah – known as Ubed – and third seed Alwi Farhan both navigated tricky last-16 encounters, offering fresh evidence of a singles resurgence that has long been anticipated by observers in Jakarta’s badminton community. Yet the defeat of Carnando and Marthin, the pair dubbed ‘The Babbies’, to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in straight games underlined the enduring challenges facing Indonesian doubles teams against elite Asian rivals.

Ubed’s victory over Hong Kong’s eighth seed Lee Cheuk Yiu was a study in composure. The 21-year-old, who had struggled with nerves during a first-round exit at the Malaysia Masters last month, displayed newfound mental resilience to close out a tight opening game 21-19 and then dominate the second 21-15. Analysts in Kuala Lumpur had noted after that early loss that Ubed’s attacking arsenal was rarely in doubt, but his ability to manage pressure on big points required refinement. On this evidence, he has absorbed those lessons, staying level-headed even as Lee threatened to force a decider. The result also carries symbolic weight for Indonesian badminton, which has been seeking a reliable successor to its golden generation of singles shuttlers.

Alwi Farhan’s passage was even more dramatic. Facing Japan’s Minoru Koga, the 20-year-old dropped a see-saw first game 20-22 but then produced a tactical masterclass to surge back 21-16, 21-9. Speaking after the match in comments that resonated with coaches from Tokyo to London, Farhan attributed the turnaround to his decision to slow the tempo and avoid rushing for points – an adjustment that unsettled Koga’s rhythm and allowed Farhan’s superior court coverage to take effect. His ability to reset after a dispiriting opening game speaks to a maturity unusual for his age, and positions him as a genuine title contender should he maintain that discipline in the latter stages.

By contrast, Carnando and Marthin were never able to impose their game against Liang and Wang, who produced a relentless barrage of flat, fast exchanges and cross-court smashes to win 21-15, 21-18. Viewed from Shanghai, the Chinese pair’s performance was a textbook execution of the aggressive front-court pressure that has become their trademark. The Indonesians, who have often struggled against opponents who deny them time at the net, found few answers and must now regroup ahead of next month’s Singapore Open. Their early exit leaves the men’s doubles draw without any Indonesian representation, a stark reminder of the gap that has opened since the retirement of the nation’s top-ranked combinations.

Looking ahead, both Ubed and Farhan face formidable obstacles in the quarter-finals, with seeded European and East Asian opponents likely to test whether their improved mental fortitude can withstand the crucible of a Super 500 medal tilt. For the Indonesian contingent, the Sydney tournament is fast becoming a referendum on the next generation’s readiness to compete on the BWF World Tour. While the singles performances offer encouragement, the doubles setback underscores that a broader revival will require sustained tactical evolution – and perhaps a dash of the fearlessness that defined their predecessors.