Japan Open 2024: Jonathan Resigns To Accompany Wife Giving Birth

Jonathan Christie withdrew from the Japan Open 2024 to accompany his wife to give birth (doc. PBSI).

JAKARTA Jonathan Christie resigned from the Japan Open 2024 because he had to accompany his wife Shania Junianatha who was about to give birth to their first child.

The statement to withdraw from the Super 750 BWF level tournament which will take place on August 20-25, 2024 was conveyed by Jonathan through his Instagram social media on Monday, August 19, 2024, at noon.

"Because a few days ago my wife's condition began to experience small contractions and was approaching HPL (the estimated day of birth), so I hereby decided to withdraw from the Japan Open match so that I could focus on maintaining and looking forward to the birth of my first child first," Jonatan wrote on Instagram Story.

Jonatan Christie and Shania Junianatha got married on December 1, 2023. Shania Junianatha or familiarly called Shanju is a former JKT48 personnel.

"Please support and pray from all of my friends for the smooth birth of my first child," read a further statement from the 2018 Asian Games gold medalist.

The decision made by Jonathan made the Indonesian men's singles number in the tournament left Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting.

In total, Indonesia has 10 representatives there from the previous 12 representatives who were included in the lottery. Another representative who also withdrew was Gregoria Mariska Tunjung who was affected by chickenpox.

The number of Indonesian representatives is spread across four sectors. Only the women's doubles do not have representatives because the mainstay pair Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti also canceled their appearance.

Indonesian representatives have been able to hold titles at the Japan Open 2024 for quite a long time. The last time Indonesian badminton players who won there were the men's doubles, Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, in 2019.

Meanwhile, Jonathan will previously meet Lu Guang Zu (China) in the first round of the Japan Open 2024. Their meeting record is still 1-1.