Jonatan Christie becomes first Indonesian in 13 years to win BWF French Open title

Published at :November 2, 2023 at 2:50 PM

Modified at :January 14, 2024 at 12:54 AM

(Courtesy : @ainurohman/Twitter)

This marks the Indonesian’s first ever Super 750 title.

Jonatan Christie, often known as Jojo, secured the title at French Open 2023 by defeating China’s Li Shifeng in a thrilling final. The match concluded with a score of 16-21, 21-15, 21-14 on Sunday, October 29.

Some remarkable achievements at the #FrenchOpen2023.⏺️ Jonatan Christie @jonatan979 won the battle of the Asian Games Gold medallists – past and present. And in doing so became only the second Indonesian to win the #FrenchOpen MS title, 13 years after Taufik Hidayat… pic.twitter.com/tzDGp3d4eI
— Gill Clark aka Oma Gill (@OmaGillClark) October 30, 2023

The Indonesian secured his fourth victory over the fifth-ranked Chinese shuttler Li Shifeng in their overall head-to-head record. “It wasn’t easy, I was a bit tense at the beginning of the match. I made a lot of unforced errors. In the second game I made improvements by playing more neatly and trying to make my opponent run a lot,” he added. The first game went to Li with a score of 21-16 due to some shots difficult for Jonathan to cover.

However, in the second game, Jonatan adjusted his strategy, defending against Li’s sharp attacks and counterattacking with drop shots and smashes, ultimately winning 21-15. The decider was a tough battle, with both players competing fiercely until the middle of the game. Ultimately, Jonatan emerged victorious in the decider with a score of 21-14, securing his triumph in the match.

The French Open 2023 marked a historic moment for Jonatan Christie, who is currently ranked 6th in the world for men’s singles. It was his first-ever triumph in a BWF Super 750 category tournament, showcasing a significant milestone in his badminton career.

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“Thank God, Praise God because this is my first title at the Super 750 level which I have been waiting for a long time. I have entered the final several times but have not been able to win,” said Jonathan, quoted from Antara.

Jonathan Christie becomes the first Indonesian in thirteen years to win the the French Open title. This remarkable victory has ignited the determination to perform well in his upcoming competitions, namely the Japan Masters and China Masters, as he is now even more eager to clinch victories in these tournaments.