In a stunning display of resilience, Indonesia silenced the home crowd at the National Tennis Development Center on Saturday, sweeping both the men’s and women’s team gold medals at the 2025 SEA Games. Facing host nation Thailand in high-stakes finals, both Indonesian squads overcame early deficits to secure identical 2-1 victories.
Women’s Team: A Gritty Comeback
The drama began early in the women’s final. The Indonesian side found themselves on the back foot when Priska Nugroho fell in straight sets, 2-6, 4-6, to Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the opening singles rubber.
Needing a win to keep gold medal hopes alive, Janice Tjen stepped up in the second match. In a grueling contest, Tjen rallied to defeat Lanlana Tararudee in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, leveling the tie at 1-1 and forcing a deciding doubles match.
The momentum shifted decisively in the final rubber. The pairing of Aldila Sutjiadi and Janice Tjen showcased nerves of steel against the Thai duo of Sawangkaew and Peangtarn Plipeech. Despite a tight contest characterized by heavy baseline rallies, the Indonesians broke serve at crucial moments to clinch a 7-5, 7-5 victory.
“It wasn’t easy; we were constantly trading points and chasing the game,” Tjen said after the match. “We just tried to enjoy the moment so we could play more freely, and it paid off.”
For Sutjiadi, the victory was a testament to national pride. “Thank you for the support from the Indonesian people,” she said. “This is our first gold for Indonesia at these Games, and we hope it sparks a run of medals for the country.”
Men’s Team: History Repeats Itself
The men’s final followed a eerily similar script. Indonesia again found themselves down 0-1 after Justin Barki lost the opening singles rubber to Kasidit Samrej.
The pressure fell squarely on Rifqi Fitriadi to salvage the tie. In what became the match of the day, Fitriadi engaged in a fierce battle with Maximus Jones.
After splitting the first two sets, the match went to a nail-biting third-set tiebreak. Fitriadi held his nerve, edging Jones 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(6) to equalize.
With the gold medal on the line, the veteran duo of Justin Barki and Christo Rungkat took the court for the deciding doubles match. Unlike the singles, the doubles pair dominated from the start, dispatching Pruchya Isarow and Kasidit Samrej with a clinical 6-3, 6-3 victory.
More Than a Medal
For Justin Barki, the victory carried a weight far heavier than the medal around his neck. This marked his first SEA Games gold, a milestone he immediately dedicated to a greater cause.
Amidst the celebration, an emotional Barki announced he would donate his entire government winning bonus—projected to be 1 billion Rupiah (approx. $65,000 USD)—to the victims of the recent disasters in Sumatra.
“I am incredibly happy. Thank you to the entire team, the players, Pelti (Indonesian Tennis Association), and the Indonesian people who believed in me,” Barki said, fighting back tears. “I am so grateful, and I hope I can continue to give more to Indonesian tennis.”
Referring to his donation, Barki added, “The amount might not be huge in the grand scheme of things, but I hope it can help.”
For Indonesia, Saturday was a day of sporting excellence; for Barki, it was a moment of profound humanity.
