Indonesian shuttler Jonatan Christie competes in the men’s singles opening round of the 2025 All England badminton championships in Birmingham, the United Kingdom, on March 11, 2025. (Courtesy of PBSI/-)
T
wo Indonesian shuttlers put in solid performances on the opening day of the prestigious All England badminton championships on Tuesday, securing victories and advancing to the next round.
Reigning All England men's singles champion and world number two Jonatan Christie defeated Malaysian Leong Jun Hao, a non-seed, 21-11, 21-19 in 41 minutes on Tuesday evening (Jakarta time) at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, the United Kingdom.
Although Jonatan appeared to lose focus briefly in the second game, he admitted he was tempted to finish the match quickly, fearing that losing his momentum could cost him the win. "Praise the Lord, I regained my focus and patience as the game neared its end," Jonatan said, adding that he admired Hao’s defense and offense, which kept him on his toes throughout the match.
In the women’s singles, unseeded Putri Kusuma Wardani caused a surprise by defeating eighth-seed Supanida Katethong of Thailand 21-13, 21-11 in just 33 minutes, all in her All England debut.
“Alhamdulillah [thank God], I'm happy to have won today's match. In terms of gameplay, I focused on anticipating my opponent's drives and smashes, as that was the weapon she used to beat me at the Finland Open. On the court today, she made a lot of errors and couldn't keep up in the rallies, which worked to my advantage," she said, expressing her excitement about finally getting to compete in the championships.
Indonesian shuttler Putri Kusuma Wardani poses as she participates in the opening round of the 2025 All England badminton championships in Birmingham, the United Kingdom, on March 11, 2025. (Courtesy of PBSI/-)
From other categories, several Indonesian players also advanced. In the men’s doubles, Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Daniel Marthin defeated their respective opponents, Taiwan's Lee Fang Chih/Lee Fang Jen (21-14, 21-11) and top-seeded Danes Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (22-20, 21-18). The two Indonesian pairs will face off in the second round.
