KUCHING: MAKSAK Sarawak’s veteran men’s doubles duo, Yusriazmi Yusuf and Affendi Merican, have made an impressive start at the Badminton MAKSAK Games 2025.
In an interview with Sarawak Tribune at Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya yesterday, the pair shared their success in Group B, having secured victories against MAKSAK Sabah, Kedah and Negeri Sembilan.
“We won our first match against MAKSAK Sabah last Thursday. This morning, we triumphed over Kedah, and in the afternoon, we clinched another win against Negeri Sembilan,” said Yusriazmi.
The duo now sit at the top of Group B, awaiting their quarterfinal opponents. “We don’t know yet who the Group D champions are, but we’ll be ready,” Yusriazmi added.
Regarding their match against Negeri Sembilan, Yusriazmi revealed that they played cautiously due to Affendi’s hand injury.
“We focused on a tactical game and kept it simple. There was no pressure, and we really enjoyed it. Winning the first two matches gave us confidence,” he said.
Affendi stressed their focus on the upcoming match, saying, “We will focus on the task at hand and do our best for Sarawak.”
The pair, who have known each other for nearly 20 years, trained together for just two to three weeks before the tournament. Both are alumni of Universiti Putra Malaysia, where they earned Bachelor’s degrees in Physical Education.
With their strong partnership, the duo are determined to continue their successful run.
