Another home favourite fell at the first hurdle at the DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2021 as men’s singles defending champion Anthony Sinisuka Ginting was bettered by Kunlavut Vitidsarn in three games. Defeated 21-19 14-21 13-21, the superstar admitted he wasn’t patient enough on court.

“If I could go back and redo the match, I’d try to play more patiently. It’s not easy to score points here. Kunlavut gained points from my mistakes,” said the Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist.

Much more used to fast conditions, Ginting added: “The shuttle is very slow. Kunlavut was the better player today. His defensive skills are strong.

“I have to control myself and the conditions I have on court. The tournament schedule has been tight but as a player, I have to be professional.”

After retiring on his birthday at the VICTOR Denmark Open 2021, the world No.5 flew home to rest and recover from a back injury. He had earlier helped Team Indonesia win the Thomas Cup after 19 years.

“I came home to refresh my body and my mind,” said the fifth seed, who added he was “able to finish the match without any injuries”.

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