Ending the curse against India's men's doubles becomes Leo/Daniel's key capital as they head into the Olympic Games.

Indonesian Men's Doubles shuttlers Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin hope that their title win at the Thailand Open 2026 will mark the starting point for the resurgence of Indonesian Badminton on the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The pair was reunited after spending two years split apart. They delivered an impressive run to claim the championship title at Bangkok's Nimibutr Stadium, defeating India's top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty with final scores of 21-12, 25-23.

“This title carries huge meaning, not only for us two but also for the whole Indonesian team and every staff and player at PBSI. We hope this becomes our momentum to rise, as the Olympic Games are already drawing near,” Leo stated in the official PBSI press release.

This result marks the first ever victory for Leo/Daniel against the Rankireddy/Shetty partnership. The Indonesian duo had lost all four of their prior head-to-head meetings.

From the very opening of the match, Leo and Daniel took control with offensive initiative. Their fast playing tempo disrupted the Indian pair's ability to establish their game rhythm, most noticeably throughout the first game.

The contest shifted to become far tighter during the second game however. Rankireddy and Shetty began to find their flow and forced multiple quick exchange rallies.

Leo and Daniel's calm mental composure during high-pressure critical moments became the deciding factor. Their willingness to take calculated risks on the closing match points locked in their straight-game victory, with no need for a deciding rubber set.

“We fully prepared our focus before this match, we knew we could not let ourselves fall behind early. That plan worked well in the first game, but the scores tightened up in the second once they started settling into their playing style,” Leo explained.

He also emphasised the critical importance of on-court communication, especially as the match entered the tense closing stretch of the second game.

“When we reached deuce, we chose to play brave, high-risk shots, and we kept constant communication with each other. With these court conditions there are no long extended rallies, so we had to make every one of our opening shots count,” Leo added.

Meanwhile Daniel cited solid teamwork as the core foundation for their success across the entire tournament. The pair's on-court chemistry, rebuilt following their reunion, continued to grow sharper with every match they played.

“For this tournament, we succeeded because we communicated well, and both of us shared the same strong drive to win. That is what enabled us to perform at our full potential,” said Daniel.