Victor Lai Confronts Asa Jonatan Christie at Istora

JAKARTA - Victor Lai came to Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Senayan, Jakarta, as a Canadian player. However, part of his badminton journey turned out to be not far from Indonesia.

Before becoming a player who extinguished Jonatan Christie's hopes in the final of the BWf World Tour Super 1000 Polytron Indonesia Open 2026, Victor had studied in Indonesia. He came in 2016 to train with Jeffer Rosobin, one of the former Red and White men's singles.

"In 2016, I came to Indonesia to train with Coach Jeffer. So I have a closeness with Indonesia," said Victor after the match.

Victor defeated Jonatan 21-19, 21-8 at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Sunday. The result made him win the first BWF World Tour Super 1000 title in his career and become the first Canadian to win the Indonesia Open.

The victory was a contrast for the home public. On one side, Indonesia again failed to see the men's singles representative stand on the highest podium. On the other hand, the player who stopped the hope had actually learned from Indonesia.

"I have a closeness with Indonesia. Many of my coaches before, even now, are from Indonesia. I am very lucky to be helped by coaches from one of the best countries in this sport," said the player who was born on December 19, 2024.

Jejak Indonesia in Victor's journey did not stop at a short training in 2016. He said the club where he trained in Canada also had Indonesian coaches. From the coaches he got a lot of influence in building his game.

For Victor, Indonesia is not a foreign place. Indonesian badminton is also part of his childhood memories when he started to know the sport of badminton.

He grew up watching the world's great players. The names of Taufik Hidayat, Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Kento Momota, Victor Axelsen, Jonatan Christie, to Anthony Sinisuka Ginting are part of the spectacle that shaped his love of badminton.

"When I was younger, I often watched all the great players like Kento Momota, Victor Axelsen, Jonatan Christie, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and other players," said the 21-year-old.

One of Jonatan's moments is still etched in his memory. A coach once showed Jonatan's match when he turned the tide against Victor Axelsen at the 2019 French Open. From there, Victor admitted to being inspired.

"I remember very well one of my coaches showing me the moment when Jojo turned the tide against Victor Axelsen. It was very inspiring for me," he said.

Years later, the player he used to watch was standing on the other side of the net. The difference is, this time Victor is no longer a spectator. He came as an opponent in the final match of the Polytron Indonesia Open.

Jonatan received full support from the Istora public. Every point won by the representative of the host was greeted with a roar. However, Victor was able to survive the pressure.

Bising

According to Viktor, the biggest challenge in the final was not only facing Jonatan's game, but also overcoming the noisy crowd.

"His voice is very loud. Every time he gets a point, it feels like I can't even hear my own voice. But the most important thing is to stay focused, ignore the noise, and believe that I can win," said Victor.

That confidence was evident from the first game. Victor was not much tempted by the audience's support. He played patiently, held back the rally, and took important points when Jonatan started to get stressed.

After winning the first game 21-19, Victor got even more loose. In the second game, he made it difficult for Jonatan to get out of the pressure until he finally won 21-8.

Jonatan admitted that Victor appeared more ready in managing the match. According to him, the most visible difference in the final was the Canadian's calmness while executing the strategy.

"Today Victor played much calmer and more patient. In terms of self-control, he was also able to carry out the strategy that had been prepared very well," said Jonatan.

Jonatan also admitted that he was not able to manage the big pressure in his first final at the Indonesia Open.

"I did feel from the beginning of the match that there was quite a lot of pressure. The tension was also very felt. I think today I haven't been able to manage the pressure well on the field," said Jonatan.

For Canada, the title was history. Previously, Victor had also recorded a great achievement by winning the bronze medal at the 2025 World Championships. Now, he added to that achievement with the Indonesia Open title.

"Both are history for Canada. So I am very proud of both achievements," he said.

For Indonesia, Jonatan's defeat certainly left disappointment. Moreover, the final was a big opportunity for the home men's singles to return to glory in front of their own public.

Jojo's defeat extended Indonesia's men's singles drought since Simon Santoso reached the highest podium at Istora in 2012.

But Victor's story also gives another picture. Indonesia not only produces great players, but also has an influence on players from other countries. Indonesian badminton knowledge, coaches, and traditions continue to run, even to Canada.

At Istora, the trail is ironic. The player who once learned from Indonesia actually became the person who thwarted Indonesia's hopes.

Victor returned home with the biggest title of his career, while the Istora public had to postpone the hope of seeing the Indonesian men's singles become champions in their own home.

However, Victor's victory also shows that the influence of Indonesian badminton does not stop at domestic players. The footsteps of coaches, knowledge, and the tradition of the Red and White shuttlecock go to Canada, then back to Istora in a different story.