Kevin Sanjaya Shares His Struggle to Pass the PB Djarum General Audition

Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo stole the spotlight when he attended a meet & greet at the Djarum Foundation booth during the Polytron Indonesia Open 2026, Istora GBK, Jakarta, on Friday (5/6). In front of hundreds of badminton lovers, Kevin shared his experiences of struggling to join PB Djarum, which became the 'gateway' to his career as an elite world badminton player.

Kevin started his career as a badminton player by participating in the PB Djarum General Audition in 2006. At that time, Kevin faced a bitter disappointment as he did not pass the General Audition. Undeterred, the man born in Banyuwangi, East Java, tried again the following year and was finally accepted as a young athlete at PB Djarum. According to Kevin, the failure in the first attempt actually motivated him to train harder and prove his abilities.

"I first participated in the PB Djarum General Audition in 2006, but at that time I didn't pass. After that, I trained even harder because my target was to get into PB Djarum." I didn't want to give up just like that. The following year, I tried again and finally got accepted. From there, I learned that failure is not a reason to give up; instead, it should be a motivation to rise and try again," said Kevin.

Joining PB Djarum opened up opportunities for Kevin to become one of the best badminton players in the world. Thru intense training, Kevin proved himself by winning various titles in world-level championships in the men's doubles sector. In fact, Kevin achieved a hat-trick of victories at the Indonesia Open in 2018, 2019, and 2021 (there was no Indonesia Open in 2020).

For that reason, Kevin advises young badminton players who want to participate in the PB Djarum General Audition to improve their skills and instill a never-give-up spirit during the selection process in front of the PB Djarum Talent Scouting Team.

"The process for each athlete is different. Some succeed right away, while others have to try several times." The most important thing is to keep practicing, improve your weaknesses, and continue believing in your own abilities. "I experienced failure first before finally being able to join PB Djarum," said Kevin.

At this meet & greet, the Indonesian badminton legend, Sigit Budiarto, who is also the Head of the Talent Scouting Team for the PB Djarum 2026 General Audition, was present. Unlike previous years, this time the PB Djarum General Audition is being held in three cities: Pekanbaru (July 7–12), Makassar (August 4–9), and Kudus (September 8–13).

Sigit explained that the PB Djarum General Audition is not just a selection process for young athletes to become part of PB Djarum, but also an effort to maintain the sustainability of Indonesia's badminton ecosystem. Thru the General Audition, talented athletes from various parts of Indonesia have the same opportunity to showcase their best potential.

"Our main goal is to find young players who have great potential to develop." In addition, the auditions are also part of the effort to maintain the Indonesian badminton ecosystem so that it continues to thrive and produce new generations capable of bringing honor to the nation," said Sigit.

He added that in order to address the increasingly complex competition on the global badminton stage, Indonesia needs sustainable regeneration to maintain badminton achievements at the international level. Therefore, the talent scouting process cannot rely solely on monitoring tournaments, but must also be actively conducted thru open auditions.

"With the public auditions, the opportunities have become broader." Children from various regions can come, compete, and showcase their abilities. We are not only looking for talent, but also want to cultivate their love for badminton from an early age. "When they already love this sport, a spirit to develop and achieve will emerge," he explained.

By keeping the badminton flame alive thru the PB Djarum General Audition, Sigit is optimistic that Indonesia will continue to produce great players like the previous generation if the development and talent search processes are carried out consistently.

"I am sure there will always be new Kevins, new great athletes born from Indonesia." "Our task is to find them early and provide the right training so that their potential can develop to the fullest," he added.

This year, the PB Djarum General Audition targets athletes in the U-11, KU 11, and KU 12 age groups, both male and female. The selection process begins with a screening stage using a knockout system. The match is played in one game up to 21 points without deuce, with a change of sides at 11 points. Participants who qualify will continue their struggle in the tournament stage, which also uses a knockout system.

For the events in Pekanbaru and Makassar, Super Tickets will be awarded to the male and female champions. Meanwhile, in Kudus, Super Tickets will be given to the male semifinalists and female finalists. The Super Ticket recipients will then undergo a quarantine stage.

The quarantine phase lasts for four weeks after the entire series of auditions in three cities is completed, from September 14 to October 9, 2026. During this period, two elimination phases will be held on September 28 and October 10, 2026, before the final results of the PB Djarum General Audition 2026 are announced on October 10, 2026. Participants who pass will receive the Djarum Badminton Scholarship and officially join PB Djarum.

Registration for the PB Djarum 2026 General Audition is conducted online thru the official PB Djarum website and has been open since April 6 until September 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM WIB. Participants who pass the administrative stage are required to re-register on September 8, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM WIB before participating in the selection in Kudus.

To participate in the PB Djarum 2026 General Audition, prospective participants can register online thru the website https://pbdjarum.org/klub/beasiswa-bulutangkis.