Indonesia’s Sabar/Reza Face Uphill Battle in 2025 BWF World Tour Finals Semifinals
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Indonesia’s hopes in the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals rest on the shoulders of Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, the nation’s sole remaining representatives after a challenging group stage. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, December 20, 2025, at the Huangzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in China.
Indonesian Players Eliminated
The campaigns of Putri Kusuma Wardani, Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, and Jafar Hidayatullah/Felisha Pasaribu all saw their campaigns end in the preliminary rounds. This leaves Sabar/Reza as the last line of defense for Indonesian success in this prestigious tournament.
A Rematch Looms Against Top Seeds
Sabar/Reza secured their semifinal berth as runners-up in Group A, trailing behind the formidable South Korean duo of Kim Won-ho/Seo Seung-jae, who topped the group. The semifinal draw has pitted the two pairs against each other once more, presenting a notable hurdle for the Indonesian team.
In their initial encounter during the group stage,sabar/Reza suffered a narrow defeat,losing in two closely contested games: 20-22,17-21. Kim/Seo demonstrated dominance throughout the group stage, achieving a perfect record with three consecutive wins. Currently ranked as the world’s number one men’s doubles team and holding the first seed in the tournament, Kim/Seo represent a daunting challenge.
Historical Disadvantage and a Glimmer of Hope
The head-to-head record heavily favors Kim/Seo, with the Korean pair having won both previous encounters against Sabar/Reza. Despite this historical disadvantage, there is optimism that Sabar/Reza can improve their performance and possibly secure a victory. “It will be a tough test for Sabar/reza to avenge their defeat to Kim/Seo in the group stage,” one analyst noted. A win would not only be a significant achievement but also bolster their chances of advancing further in the tournament.
2025 BWF World Tour Finals Semifinal Schedule – Saturday, December 20, 2025
Session 1 (Starting at 08:30 WIB)
- An Se Young vs Akane Yamaguchi
- Ratchanok Intanon vs Wang Zhi Yi
- Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito vs feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dongping
- Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan vs Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto
- Christo Popov vs Kodai Naraoka
Session 2 (Starting at 16:00 WIB)
- Jiang Zhen Bang/wei Ya Xin vs Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei
- Baek Ha Na/Lee So hee vs Liu sheng Shu/Tan Ning
- Kunlavut Vitidsarn vs Shi Yuqi
- Sabar karyaman Gutama/M. Reza Pahlevi Isfahani vs Kim Won-ho/seo Seung-jae
The semifinal matches promise a day of thrilling badminton action, with Sabar/Reza carrying the weight of Indonesian expectations as they prepare to face the top-ranked Kim/Seo.
