Source:REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
[Saba Sports News] Hendra Setiawan’s wife, Sandiani Arif, recently explained why they could not attend the wedding of Liu Yuchen and Huang Yaqiong. Reports indicate that Liu Yuchen and Huang Yaqiong announced their marriage on social media on August 2, 2025, after a long-term relationship. Last weekend, they officially held their wedding ceremony. Several top badminton players were invited, including the renowned Indonesian doubles player Hendra. However, Hendra and Sandiani were unable to attend. Sandiani expressed her blessings and apologies to the newlyweds on Instagram, humorously attributing the absence to her husband, Hendra. Since Liu Yuchen is often jokingly referred to as Hendra’s “son” by fans, Sandiani playfully wrote in her post, “Your dad is just too busy.” She noted, “Hendra is officially retired, but his schedule is even busier now than when he was an athlete.”
It is reported that Hendra and Liu Yuchen developed a strong sports friendship after competing against each other multiple times in international events. According to public information, Liu Yuchen has stated that Hendra is his most admired idol because both tend to focus on front-court play, and Liu has drawn inspiration from Hendra’s games. Later, upon learning through sponsors that Hendra was using the communication app WeChat, Liu proactively added him as a friend, transitioning from on-court rivals to off-court friends.