Indonesia's men's doubles pair, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, secured a spot in the last 16 of the Hylo Open 2025 by defeating a Malaysian duo in a tense match. The victory came with a score of 21-16, 24-22 at Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken, Germany. They will face a German pair in the next round.
On Wednesday, Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri faced intense pressure in the first round of the Hylo Open 2025, a Super 500 tournament held at Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken, Germany. They overcame the Malaysian pair Nur Mohd Azryn Ayub Azryn and Tan Wee Kiong with a score of 21-16, 24-22.
In the first game, Fajar and Fikri started aggressively, leading 11-8 and maintaining the advantage to win 21-16. The second game was more tense; they surged to 6-1 and led 17-13, but lost control as their opponents claimed six straight points to take a 18-17 lead. The situation grew critical when they trailed 18-20 and nearly lost the game.
A pivotal moment came when Nur Azryn's racket string broke, altering the decisive rally. Fajar and Fikri capitalized on the opportunity and secured the win 24-22, earning a spot in the last 16.
In the second round, they will face the German duo Bjarne Geiss and Jones Ralfy Jansen, who previously defeated the French pair Mael Cattoen and LKucas Renoir 15-21, 22-20, 21-19. This victory highlights Fajar and Fikri's resilience under pressure.