Jakarta. The Indonesian badminton team departed for Birmingham on Saturday to compete in the prestigious All England tournament with strong determination and fitness after last year’s success.

For women’s singles player Putri Kusuma Wardani, the tournament marks her debut on the All England stage.

"I’m very excited about my first All England appearance. In terms of preparation, my focus is simply to enjoy the game and play more creatively," Putri said.

Her teammate, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, has postponed her honeymoon to concentrate on her preparations for the tournament.

Gregoria married Mikha Angelo on January 21 in Bandung, but quickly returned to training to pursue her All England ambitions.

"Mikha understands my situation completely because we've discussed this in advance, especially regarding my commitments as a national athlete," she said.

Last year, Indonesia secured two titles, with Jonatan Christie winning the men’s singles and the pair of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto claiming the men’s doubles crown.

According to head coach Antonius Budi Ariantho, the recent success has boosted team morale and raised expectations.

"The players are in great shape and well-prepared for this tournament," Antonius said. However, he cautioned that the competition will be intense, with the world’s top-ranked players all in contention.

"This is a highly prestigious tournament, and every player wants to win badly. The men’s doubles category, in particular, is incredibly tough because, in my opinion, the players ranked 1 to 32 are almost evenly matched," he added.

Ginting Sidelined Due to Injury
The Indonesian squad will be without Anthony Ginting, who reached an all-Indonesian final against Jonatan Christie in last year’s men’s singles championship match.

Ginting is currently undergoing treatment for an arm injury and is expected to return to competition next month, his coach confirmed.

Indonesian Squad for All England 2024

• Men’s Singles: Jonatan Christie, Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo
• Women’s Singles: Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Putri Kusuma Wardani
• Men’s Doubles: Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Bagas Maulana/Leo Rolly Carnando, Daniel Marthin/M. Shohibul Fikri
• Women’s Doubles: Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma/Amalia Cahaya Pratiwi
• Mixed Doubles: Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto/Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja

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