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Warning to Kevin/Marcus: Your Opponents Are Fearless!

Jakarta

Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon were asked to be more vigilant towards the 2022 Badminton World Championship. Because their opponents already know how to play Minions and are not afraid!

Kevin / Marcus are still the world’s number one men’s doubles. Even so, his work in badminton tournaments lately is no longer what it used to be.

The Minions won the last time at the Indonesia Open 2021. After that, they had to settle for the best position in the runner-up at the 2021 BWF World Tour Finals, even until the middle of this year.

Kevin/Marcus became semifinalists at the All England and Indonesia Masters, then lost in the second round of the Indonesia Open 2022.

In fact, if you look at their achievements in previous years. Kevin/Marcus became the men’s doubles who often won. Especially in their golden years of 2017 to 2019.

In 2017, they made nine finals with seven of them winning the title. The following year, they bagged 9 titles from 10 times entering the final. Then won eight titles in 2019.

Meanwhile, in 2020, almost all tournaments were canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Even this year, Kevin/Marcus only participated in four tournaments with one of them successfully winning the Indonesia Masters.

The change in achievement was undeniable apart from Marcus’ performance, who had not fully recovered 100 percent after ankle surgery. Kevin/Marcus’s enemies, who were previously difficult to beat the 2018 and 2019 All England champions, have learned the Minions playing pattern in tournaments.

PBSI’s Head of Achievement Development, Rionny Mainaky, then asked Kevin/Marcus to be better prepared. Moreover, they are still Indonesia’s mainstay to win the World Championship title.

Despite the fact, the men’s doubles allowed three other representatives, such as Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan, Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, and Bagas Maulana/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri.

“In the past, opponents were afraid, now people are learning, so they have to be smarter. Both from throwing the ball away, receiving service and others,” said Rionny at the Nanggala Sport Center, Cijantung.

“If you’re stuck and Kevin wants to complain, but passes, then Marcus throws the ball well. Because doubles players play by covering each other and moving the ball. So we really have to focus more,” said Rionny.

(mcy/aff)

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