Celebratory Sendoff for Daddies
In a moving and fitting tribute, Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan, affectionately known as ‘The Daddies’, brought their illustrious careers to a close in front of a rapturous crowd at Istora Senayan on Sunday.
· DIANNE PIERRE & PREM KUMAR
The iconic pair, whose chemistry and skill have defined men’s doubles for years, chose their home event to bid farewell, leaving fans with a treasure trove of memories. They played the final match of their partnership, which first came to being in 2013, against Malaysians Yap Roy King/Junaidi Arif on Thursday.
The farewell ceremony was a poignant celebration of an incredible journey that saw them claim three World Championship titles (2013, 2015, 2019), an All England crown in 2019 and countless victories on the badminton circuit.
But perhaps the most emotional moment came when the spotlight shone on Hendra Setiawan’s Olympic gold medal he won alongside late partner Markis Kido. Their victory at Beijing 2008 remains one of the country’s most cherished Olympic moments, securing Setiawan’s place as an all-time Indonesian sporting great.