At the 2025 Taipei and New Taipei World Masters Games badminton competition, the so-called "World Champion Duo" of Indonesia, Hariyanto Arbi and Tri Kusharjanto, faced an unexpected defeat in their opening match against Taichung's Yang Zhiyu and Liu Yingxiong, with scores of 18-21, 21-19, and 15-21. After the match, Yang and Liu remarked, "We couldn't win against them as players in the past, but we never expected to defeat the champions in our masters category!"

Despite the defeat in group play, Arbi and Kusharjanto advanced to the men's 50+ semifinals, scheduled for tomorrow's showdown. Arbi, recognized as one of the top singles players of the 1990s, previously won the men's singles gold medal at the 1995 Lausanne World Championships and secured gold in both men's singles and teams at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games. Kusharjanto also holds a silver medal from the mixed doubles event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was ranked first in mixed doubles in 1996. The duo has continued to compete together post-retirement, winning titles at the World Masters Badminton Championships in 2013, 2015, and 2023.

The match commenced with Arbi and Kusharjanto losing the first game 18-21. They managed to turn the tide by winning the second game 21-19 but ultimately fell in the third game as Yang Zhiyu frequently took control, leading to Arbi and Kusharjanto’s defeat at 15-21. Arbi, who played with a foot injury, stated after the match, "I just have an old injury, but it didn’t affect the game." He also praised his opponents, saying, "They played excellently and deserved the win. The atmosphere was great, and the organizers did a wonderful job. The planning was thorough, allowing players to compete comfortably." The local team, comprised of Yang Zhiyu and Liu Yingxiong, although former A-level players, have since moved on to careers as teachers in primary and high schools. They began their training regimen three days a week since deciding to participate last year.

Yang remarked, "Initially learning we would face a champion duo in our first match, we reminded ourselves to stay calm and noticed they moved more slowly, which allowed us to focus on precision shots. We are thrilled to win this match!"