TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian badminton men’s singles coach, Irwansyah, talks about the achievements in the 2024 All England.

THE performances of Indonesian badminton players this year have been quite impressive. In mid-March, Jonatan Christie faced his colleague Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in the Utilita Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the final of the 2024 All England Championship. Jojo—as Jonatan is familiarly called—won in two straight sets over Ginting. The last time two Indonesian players competed against each other in the All England final was 30 years ago.

A month later, Jojo, who ranks 20th in the Badminton World Federation (BWF), won the 2024 Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China. He defeated the host’s top seed, Li Shi Feng, also in straight sets. The performance of the men’s singles players can be partly credited the guidance of the head coach of the men’s singles at the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), Irwansyah.

Irwansyah said that the improved performance was the result of a combination of tactics, physical training and sports science. He acknowledged that a training method that relied on science and analysis helped the players achieve the best performances. “We are no longer training to just sweat and pant,” said the 49-year-old coach.

Despite the recent outstanding achievements of men’s singles players, Irwansyah does not want to be complacent. He realizes that the performance of his players on the field is still not stable. Irwansyah tries to address this issue before his players depart for Chengdu, China, to participate in the Thomas Cup men’s team championships from April 27 to May 5. “Our preparations are solid, and we are ready to face any country,” he said.

Irwansyah received Tempo journalists after a training session at the PBSI national training center (pelatnas) in Cipayung, East Jakarta, on Monday, April 1. He also talked about the target for men’s singles players in the Paris 2024 Olympics taking place in July-August. Excerpts of the interview:

Congratulations on the wins in the recent men’s singles competitions. Are you satisfied with your players’ achievements?

In terms of performance, their quality is already good. However, I do not dare say right away that they would definitely win because everything depends greatly on the situation in the field. In All England, Jonatan Christie and Anthony Ginting met with great opponents from the first round. They delivered solid performances since the first match.

<!--more-->

You seemed quite confident that one of our players was going to be a champion...

I was sure because I saw their performances. That’s the level of Indonesia’s men’s singles players like Jonatan and Anthony Ginting should be playing. I changed their mindsets.

What was wrong with the way Indonesian players mindsets?

Their state of mind while on the field was a burden in competition. As a result, their performances fluctuated. They should have a positive and relaxed mind when playing. I have always told them not to think about unpleasant or less positive things before leaving. Leave those thoughts behind because once they are on the field, they should only focus on chasing the shuttlecock.

To what extent does this mentality influence a game?

It can make it unstable. But, God willing, they will become extraordinary and hopefully consistent players.

The instability was reflected in the performances of singles players in several tournaments before the All England. What was the problem?

Previously, they participated in the Indonesia Masters and were defeated in the semifinals. Playing in their own country, they did not win the title. I was disappointed, and they were too. After that, I pushed them. I gave them a good portion of training, and they trained well. Working together with the sports science department and the performance analysis team. I prepared specific training for them to face the All England. But we had to participate in the French Open as part of the tournament leading to the Paris 2024 Olympics. We lost in the early rounds of the French Open. Jonatan and Anthony Ginting were disappointed. But we went there not because we didn’t want to become champions, but to make the tournament a test.

How do you boost players’ morale in such difficult situations?

I tell them that defeat is not a problem because it’s part of the process. Who doesn’t want to be a champion? That’s why I don’t want to train them when they are sad. That situation will make them weak. We must not let their motivation drop. I convey that their game is already good, but there are mistakes that need to be fixed. Since then, I have been sure that one of our men’s singles players will become a champion.

What changes did you make in terms of game tactics?

I asked them to change the tempo, it has to be faster. I also changed the power to be stronger. Their individual playing patterns are different. Each player has his own character. Jonatan’s is different from Anthony Ginting’s or vice versa.

Read the Full Interview in Tempo English Magazine