China Masters 2025: Jonathan Pelihara's Men's Singles Dream

JAKARTA Jonathan Christie managed to secure a ticket to the second round of the 2025 China Masters to maintain the expectations of the Indonesian men's singles.

The fifth seed won dramatically against Kenta Nishimoto from Japan in the two straight games 21-19 and 21-19 on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, afternoon WIB.

"Here the shuttlecock is faster and that is the difference in today's match. I can apply strategy and a better way of playing than him," said Jonathan after the match.

Jonathan is the only Indonesian men's singles left in this tournament because Alwi Farhan and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting have been eliminated.

Alwi's journey ran aground as a result of losing against fourth seed Li Shi Feng, while Ginting was eliminated at the hands of Leong Jun Hao from Malaysia.

Jonathan will meet Lin Chun-Yi in the second half tomorrow, September 18, 2025. The Taipei Chinese singles qualified for the round of 16 after Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia) decided to withdraw in the middle of the third game.

"Tomorrow I meet Lin Chun-Yi, it's not easy because he has speed. With conditions on the ground like this, I have to be ready to go all out to play his game," said Jonatan.

On paper, Jonathan won 3-0 wins against Lin. Two of the three wins took place this year, in a row at the India Open and Indonesia Masters.