Both Indonesia badminton teams secured spots at the quarterfinals of the 2018 Thomas and Uber Cup in Bangkok on Tuesday.

The women’s Uber Cup team defeated France 5-0 at the Impact Arena earlier in the morning.

Malaysia’s 1-4 loss to rival China, its second defeat as it fell to Indonesia in its first match, helped Indonesia clinch a spot in the next round.

Greysia Polii and her teammates will battle China on Wednesday to decide which country finishes atop the final standings of Group D.

To start off the national team’s clean sweep, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung defeated France’s Yaelle Hoyaux in the women’s singles. Gregoria, who tallied a point in a match against Malaysia on Monday, handily beat the world 155 Hoyaux, winning 21-9, 21-8.

Gregoria, acknowledging that she had the upper hand, said she focused on her playing pattern throughout the match.

“My opponent easily made mistakes [during the game],” Gregoria said.

In the national team’s second match, Della Destiara Haris and Ni Ketut Mahadewi Istarani carried on the winning momentum by defeating French pair Emille Lefel and Anne Tran 21-10, 21-16 in the women’s doubles.

In the second women’s singles match, Dinar Dyah Ayustine secured another victory for the national team after beating Marie Batomene 21-17, 21-10.

As an Uber Cup rookie, Dinar said she wanted to prove she could handle the responsibility that was given to her.

“I was quite nervous. I really want to win, I want to give my best,” she said.

The fourth match saw a new women’s doubles pair in Nitya Krishinda Maheswari and Apriani Rahayu. They nearly handed the team its first loss in a close victory over Delphine Delrue and Lea Palermo. Bouncing back from a loss in the match’s first game, the Indonesians edged their French counterparts 16-21,
21-19, 21-19.

Ruselli Hartawan ended the night with a resounding 21-17, 21-6 victory over Katia Normand, giving Indonesia the sweep.

Women’s singles coach Minarti Timur said she was happy with the result, but urged the players to do better, singling out her protégé Ruselli, who she thought seemed complacent at times in Tuesday’s match, which took place after Indonesia had clinched a spot in the quarterfinals.

“She lacked focus. Maybe it’s because her match did not influence the result. I told her that we have to be ready whoever our opponents are,” she told The Jakarta Post.

Despite having advanced to the next round, Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) sports development head Susy Susanti said the national team needed to work harder, as it would face top-seeded China in the next round.

Meanwhile, the men’s Thomas Cup squad fought hard to overcome host Thailand 3-1 as of press time.

Men’s singles shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting gave the Indonesian team its first point after outclassing Thailand’s Khosit Phetpradab 21-8, 21-14 in 36 minutes.

Throughout the match, Ginting showed his class by dominating, especially in the first game. He led 11-1 in the first half of the first game before it ended 21-8. Most of his points came as a result of Khosit’s unforced errors.

Supported by a home crowd, Khosit tried to make a comeback in the second game. However, the Cimahi-born Ginting maintained his poise, going on an 11-9 run despite falling behind 5-8 at the start, before the game ended 21-14.

World number-one men’s doubles pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon, however, failed to add to Indonesia’s winning ways, as they bowed down to Thai pair Kittisak Namdash and Nipitphon Phuangphuapet 16-21, 21-13, 12-21.

Kevin said the wind affected their performance, while admitting that he was discouraged over the referee’s decision to rule their service a fault on several occasions.

In the third match of the evening for the men’s team, singles shuttler Ihsan Maulana Mustofa started slow before thrashing Kantaphon Wangcharoen 16-21, 21-8, 24-22.

Muhammad Rian Ardianto/Fajar Alfian emerged as the decider after overcoming Tinn Isriyanet/Dechapol Phuavaranukroh 21-10, 21-18.

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