Jonatan Christie Advances to Finals After Thrilling Semifinal Victory

Jonatan Christie has advanced to the finals of the badminton tournament after a hard-fought semifinal against Loh Kean Yew. He will face Lin Chun-Yi, who defeated Victor Lai in a tense match. The women's singles semifinals saw An Se Young and Wang Zhi Yi emerge victorious. This article provides a detailed analysis of the matches and highlights key moments from the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 18, 2026, 00:54 IST

Christie Set for Final Showdown

Jonatan Christie is set to compete against Lin Chun-Yi from Chinese Taipei in the finals. Lin secured his spot by overcoming Canada's Victor Lai with scores of 21-9, 6-21, and 22-20, converting his fourth match point in a match that lasted just over an hour.

Christie's Semifinal Triumph Over Loh Kean Yew

In the semifinals, Indonesia's Jonatan Christie showcased a blend of strategic play and composure to defeat former world champion Loh Kean Yew from Singapore. The third-seeded Christie rallied from a 5-11 deficit in the first game to win 21-18, 22-20, completing the match in 46 minutes.

Highlights from Women's Singles Semifinals

In earlier matches, An Se Young triumphed over former champion Ratchnok Intanon of Thailand with a score of 21-11, 21-7. Meanwhile, Wang Zhi Yi edged past her compatriot Chen Yu Fei, winning 21-15, 23-21.

Match Breakdown: Christie vs. Loh

During the men's singles semifinal, Loh started strong, quickly taking an 11-5 lead with aggressive shots. However, Christie adapted by engaging Loh in longer rallies, leveraging his defensive skills to force mistakes. He won six consecutive points to level the score at 15-15 and utilized quick net plays and powerful smashes to clinch the first game.

In the second game, Loh struggled initially but regained focus, leading 17-13. Yet, Christie responded with swift attacks, ultimately needing two match points to secure his victory, extending his winning streak against Loh to nine matches.

Semifinal Results Overview

Men's Singles: 3-Jonatan Christie (INA) defeated 8-Loh Kean Yew (SGP) 21-18, 22-20; Lin Chun-Yi (TPE) defeated Victor Lai (CAN) 21-9, 6-21, 22-20.
Women's Singles: 1-An Se Young (KOR) defeated 7-Ratchanok Intanon (THA) 21-11, 21-7; 2-Wang Zhi Yi (CHN) defeated 4-Chen Yu Fei (CHN) 21-15, 23-21.
Women's Doubles: 1-Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning (CHN) defeated 6-Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee (KOR) 21-12, 17-21, 21-14; 5-Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (JPN) defeated 2-Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan (MAS) 21-16, 21-13.
Mixed Doubles: 3-Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran (THA) defeated 1-Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (CHN) 16-21, 21-19, 21-16; 4-Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang (CHN) defeated Kang Min Hyuk/Ki Dong Ju (KOR) 22-20, 21-18.