Pia and Bona are two of a kind
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The spectator took a second glance at a pair playing in the mixed doubles of the 2005 Milo Junior Indonesia Open badminton tournament in Denpasar.
"Their faces look similar, are they brother and similar?" he asked a tournament official of Bona Septano and Pia Zebadiah.
The answer was in the affirmative, and the Jakarta family partnership went on to win the title on Sunday by overcoming top seeded Li Tian and Ma Jin of China 15-12, 14-17, 17-15.
Bona, who turns 18 on Sept. 22, was also partly responsibly for Indonesia's second title at the junior tournament, combining with Mohammad Ahsan to beat another top seeded Chinese pair for the boys' doubles crown.
Pia, 16, also did their parents, Yul Asteria Zakaria and Djum Harbey Anwar, proud, reaching the girls' singles final before losing to top seeded Wang Yihan.
"I'm happy because I got two titles in my last competition at the junior level," said Bona, who recently graduated from high school and plays for Jaya Raya club.
Bona's goal is to enter the national training center, following in the footsteps of older brother Markis Kidho, 21, a doubles specialist who plays with Hendra Setiawan and ranks fourth nationally.
"I am a doubles specialist and I want to stay that way," Bona said.
Pia aims to reclaim prestige for the Indonesian women's game, which has suffered since the retirement of former world and All- England champion Susy Susanti in the late 1990s.
"I want to prove that Indonesian women's shuttlers don't have to lose to China," she said.
She has already shown that she can compete with the Chinese juniors, who are feared for their impressive physiques and excellent technique.
She put up a fight against Wang last week, leading 8-4 in the second game but unable to close it out, a problem of many local juniors.
It was a repeat of her semifinal against Wang Lin in the Asian Junior Championships last month in Jakarta, when her 8-5 lead gradually ebbed away. Wang Lin went on to win the title.
But Pia did notch back-to-back wins against Chinese third singles player Tai Yi at the Asian juniors and in Denpasar.
Bona and Pia started playing badminton at the age of seven, following Markis' example in an effort to find positive activities outside of school.
Bona joined major club Jaya Raya when he was 11; Pia, who studies at Ragunan Sports Academy, followed when she was a fifth grader.
"Jaya Raya is a big club, so we have a better chance to improve than in a small club," Bona said.
Bona's strength is his skillful placement, but he knows there is much about his game that needs improvement.
"My defense isn't good yet. I often play nervously and let up on the pressure when in the lead," he said.
Pia, despite an arsenal of unpredictable shots, needs to work on her flexibility and get more experience.
It's still early days on their career path, but they have already done their family proud.