Ihsan displayed a below par performance in the first game, many of his attacks failed to penetrate Ouseph defense, oftentimes his powerful smashes hit the net. Ihsan also didn't give his best.

In the second game, Ihsan was left 6-10. He subsequently grabbed seven points from Ouseph's blunders. This was his turning point. The PB Djarum player's confidence was increasing. Ouseph seemed unaware of
this.

Ihsan played even more calmly in the third game, on the other hand, Ouseph seemed running out of fuel. Ihsan ball positioning made Ouseph troubled, Ihsan throttled up, he won the third set.

“In the first game, I was often hesitant, couldn't find the right shape. After that, I saw him and he looked tired, I immediately attacked. Thanks for the support from the crowd. Especially when they chanted, ‘eea, eea’, it made me want to smash the shuttlecock, ha haha,” said Ihsan who for the first time goes to semifinal at superseries premier level tournament.

“I was left behind in the third game, but I didn't think of anything, I was very relax. I wasn't afraid. The coach warned me. He said I wasn't playing with myself, there was the coach, supporters, it made me confident. I had planned before I wanted to play calmly. I wanted to enjoy the match,” he said.

“After 2016 Thomas Cup, my morale was a bit low, but I tried to gain my self confidence. I, Jonatan (Christie), and Anthony (Sinisuka Ginting) actually are not inferior to super series level players, we can defeat world's top 20,” ended Ihsan. 

Ihsan is the first player who manages to go to semifinal. Indonesian women's doubles pairs, Rizki Amelia Pradipta/Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah and Anggia Shitta Awanda/Ni Ketut Mahadewi Istarani, and a mixed doubles pair Alfian, Eko Prasetya/Annisa Saufika, are still unable to go to semifinal.