Three Debutants Are Indonesia's Men's Singles Main Hopes at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Indonesia's badminton squad is fielding a fresh lineup for the men's singles category at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Three out of the four core players representing the Red and White flag are first-time competitors at this continental multi-sport event: Alwi Farhan, Moh Zaki Ubaidillah, and Muhamad Yusuf.

For Alwi and Ubed -- the common nickname for Moh Zaki Ubaidillah -- their debutant status does not mean they lack experience competing at high-level international tournaments.

Both athletes have already experienced the pressure of elite competition while representing Indonesia at the SEA Games, Sudirman Cup, and Thomas Cup.

This track record forms their foundation as they prepare for the standard of competition at the Asian Games. Alwi carries additional confidence, following strong results he and Ubed achieved together at the recent SEA Games.

"Naturally we are grateful and very happy to get the chance to represent Indonesia at the Asian Games. We will make the absolute most of this opportunity. This is our first Asian Games, and our performance at the SEA Games gave us solid confidence to carry over into this higher level event," Alwi stated on the official PBSI website.

For Alwi, this call-up is far more than just a new career experience. Alongside Ubed, he intends to use this platform to demonstrate their progress when matched against the top male shuttlers across Asia.

Ubed confirmed all pre-tournament preparations are proceeding according to plan. After completing individual training programmes, he and the full squad have wrapped up collective team preparations ahead of departure for Nagoya.

"Alhamdulillah, my individual training has run very smoothly so far. Team preparations are also going well. We are ready to compete next week," Ubed added.

Unlike Alwi and Ubed, Yusuf has no prior experience at major international tournaments. This makes the Asian Games both his biggest career challenge to date, and his first ever stage to face the pressure of a large multi-sport competition.

Yusuf has received full support from senior teammates to manage this pressure, and not let his debutant status become an unnecessary burden.

"Of course I felt nervous at first, but the senior players keep reminding me just to go out and enjoy the matches," Yusuf said.

The senior squad advised Yusuf to approach his Asian Games fixtures with the same simple mindset he uses for standard individual tournaments.

"They always tell me to just treat this like any regular competition. Stay focused, keep my spirit up, and stay calm," he explained.

Indonesia's preparations received a special boost on the final day of their training camp in Tokyo. The squad got the opportunity to train alongside Japanese badminton legend Kento Momota, who joined the group both as a mentor and official sparring partner.

For Alwi, training with Momota was an invaluable experience. He is fully aware of Momota's legacy as one of the most dominant men's singles players in the history of the sport.

"We all know just how unstoppable Kento Momota was at his peak. Getting to share the court with him today makes me really happy, it is such an honour. This is an experience I will never forget," Alwi remarked.

Ubed also received direct technical feedback from Momota during the session. On-court time against the former world number 1 became a critical final addition to the team's pre-tournament preparation block.

"It was amazing to play alongside him. Momota also took the time to give me personal evaluation and advice on my playing style," Ubed said.

The Tokyo training camp has now officially concluded. The Indonesian badminton team is scheduled to depart for Nagoya on Thursday 17 September, after which they will check into the official Asian Games athletes' village.

Badminton competition at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will open with the team events running 20-24 September. This will be followed by the individual draw, held 25-29 September at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, Aichi, Japan.

For Alwi, Ubed and Yusuf, their continental campaign now properly begins. Two of them carry proven multi-sport tournament experience as their foundation, while Yusuf steps onto this stage with the fresh drive of a debutant, fully backed by the senior players around him.