China Open 2024: Jonathan Successfully Responds To Revenge

JAKARTA The Indonesian men's singles badminton player, Jonatan Christie, managed to reach the semifinals of the 2024 China Open after taking revenge on the host's representative, Lei Lan Xi.

Jonathan secured the third semifinal ticket for Indonesia after winning two straight games 21-18 and 21-12 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, China, on Friday, September 20, 2024, evening WIB.

In this duel, Jonathan was actually left behind almost all the way through the first game. He only got four points in a row after a 16-16 draw and started not being overtaken.

"Indeed, the key to its importance in the first game was when the side of the field was not profitable. Several times I also made mistakes, but I tried to continue to carry out attack initiatives," said Jonathan.

This round of four is the second straight semifinal that Jonathan has stepped on in two tournaments since the 2024 Paris Olympics. Previously, he had won the same round at the 2024 Hong Kong Open last week.

While in Hong Kong, Jonathan failed to make it to the final after losing against Lei Lan Xi in a rubber game. Thus, this victory is also Jonathan's revenge.

"Praise God for going to the semifinals again after last week at the Hong Kong Open 2024. Last year I also finished in the semifinals here (China Open). Hopefully tomorrow it can be even better, the results will already be arranged, just fighting," said Jonatan.

Last year the 2018 Asian Games gold medalist failed to reach the China Open final for losing against Viktor Axelsen. At that time, he gave up two straight games against the Danish single.

Before Jonathan, Indonesia had secured two semifinal tickets through the mixed doubles pair Dejan Ferdinandyah/Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja and the men's doubles Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Daniel Marthin.