After three action-packed weeks of major badminton tournaments across Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, attention now turns to the biggest event of the stretch: the Kapal API Indonesia Open 2025. This Super 1000 tournament is the final stop before players take a well-deserved break.
The Indonesia Open has a long and proud history, with past winners including badminton legends like Lee Chong Wei, Camilla Martin, Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng, and local icon Taufik Hidayat. In recent years, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen dominated the men’s singles, winning the title three times in a row from 2021 to 2023. However, he will miss this year’s event due to injury. Still, Europe maintains a strong presence in the draw.
Men’s Singles: Sibling Rivalry and Tough Matchups
In the men’s singles, Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke faces a tough opener against Japan’s Kodai Naraoka. Fellow Dane Anders Antonsen will play Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei.
France’s Christo Popov comes in with strong momentum after reaching the semifinals in Singapore. This week, he will face his older brother, Toma Popov, in an exciting first-round clash. The last time they played was in the final of the 2024 Hylo Open, where Christo won convincingly in straight sets.
Another French player, Alex Lanier, skipped recent tournaments in Chinese Taipei and Malaysia and should be well-rested. However, he suffered an early exit in Singapore, losing to Loh Kean Yew in the first round. This week, he faces China’s Weng Hong Yang, ranked number 11 in the world.
Women’s Singles: Challenging Draws for European Contenders
In the women’s singles, Denmark’s Line Kjærsfeldt will need to overcome a daunting challenge against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. The two have met eight times, with Yamaguchi winning every encounter.
Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova also has a difficult opener against China’s Gao Fang Jie. This will be their first meeting, and Buhrova will need to counter Gao’s steady playing style.
Another notable match features Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour against Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei. They haven’t faced each other in a decade, and both are looking to end recent streaks of early-round exits.
Doubles: Europe’s Strength Across All Categories
European players will also be making strong bids in the doubles events.
In men’s doubles, several pairs are in action, including the Popov brothers, Denmark’s Rasmus Kjær/Frederik Søgaard, Eloi Adam/Leo Rossi, Daniel Lundgaard/Mads Vestergaard, and Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup. Astrup and Skaarup are coming off a strong showing in Singapore, where they showed flashes of the form that once took them to the top of the world rankings.
In women’s doubles, Poland’s Paulina Hankiewicz/Kornelia Marczak, Scotland’s Julie MacPherson/Ciara Torrance, and Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova/Yevheniia Kantemyr will try to push into the second round.
The mixed doubles category also features strong European representation. Former European champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue will face Indonesian pair Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja. Current European champions Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund, who are seeded fifth, will face Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Julie MacPherson. Meanwhile, Denmark’s Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch will play India’s Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh.
The tournament begins tomorrow at 9:00 AM CEST, promising a full week of world-class badminton.
Related topics:
