Hendra Setiawan and Mohamad Ahsan, the popular Indonesian badminton doubles stars nicknamed “The Daddies,” just made a daring move. Now, they have opened their own badminton center, Daddies Arena in South Tangerang, Jakarta. The massive 5,000-square-meter facility officially opened its doors to the public on May 1.
The duo has dreamed up Daddies Arena for more than a year, with both players residing in close proximity to the recently opened headquarters. The land for this ambitious project is Ahsan’s, and he has been the key figure in its journey from dream to reality.
Daddies Arena features eight badminton courts, a fully equipped gym, and sauna facilities, aiming to provide a comprehensive training environment for aspiring athletes. Hendra and Ahsan announced their retirement at the beginning of January. Now, they’re pouring their efforts into developing the future of badminton greatness.
We’ve been organizing this since last year, and serendipitously we live close by. We were searching high and low for a big, strategic piece of land and eventually found this one, Hendra stated during the opening ceremony.
Creation of Daddies Arena is just the latest indication of the pair’s devotion to the game that has made them global icons. Collectively, they’ve won everything from Olympic gold medals to World Championships, proving them as one of the greatest pairings in badminton history. After competitive retirement, Hendra last March made a return to the All-England Championships in Birmingham as a coach. His leadership is what guided another team to the semi-finals, proving his impact on the game still runs deep.
Ahsan expressed plans for future expansion, stating, “Yes, InshaAllah we do plan to establish one in the future. For now, our focus is here first.” He dropped a few hints about starting up a Daddies Academy. We’ll leave those discussions on its structure and coaching staff for another day.
All Daddies are dedicated to high quality training facilities. More than just a district library, it’s the home of an active badminton community. The new center’s opening has become a turning point for Hendra and Ahsan. They are moving beyond elite athletes to become mentors and leaders in the broader badminton community.
Leave a Reply