Jonathan Christie: Im not a villain

Jayce September 6, 2024 4 0

In today’s era where short videos have become a staple, catching a glimpse of retired players’ elegance is just a few keyword searches away. If you happen to want to see the style of the “Super Grand Slam” winner Lin Dan, many people might come across a short video themed “Lin Dan refused to wipe the floor.” Coincidentally, the protagonist of that incident was the then “victim” Jonatan Christie.

That year, the 21-year-old Jonatan faced the 35-year-old Lin Dan in the New Zealand Open final. Lin Dan, whose request to wipe the floor was ruthlessly rejected by the referee, switched to his “Super Dan” mode, scoring five consecutive points after being 16-19 down in the second game to ultimately win the championship. The unfortunate Jonatan became the lonely backdrop.

Three months later, at the Jakarta Asian Games, Jonatan achieved a feat comparable to the legendary Taufik Hidayat, standing on the top of the men’s singles podium. However, under the spotlight, he still wasn’t the most eye-catching. Although he caused an upset by eliminating the top seed Shi Yuqi in the first round, more people lamented the fate of his compatriot Anthony Ginting, who is 11 months older. Ginting had blocked the biggest favorite Kento Momota in that tournament but ended up with a bronze.

For a long time after that, the names of the Indonesian twin stars were always mentioned with Ginting first and Jonatan second. The public’s attention was more focused on the charming Ginting, while the handsome Jonatan faced criticism for his unappealing playing style. The twin stars seemed to embody contrasting roles.

After the Jakarta Asian Games, Jonatan, with his championship halo, could only shine in lower-level tournaments, and his performance in team competitions was particularly disappointing. In the 2022 Thomas Cup and the Hangzhou Asian Games men’s team events, Jonatan left a trail of embarrassing upsets. However, entering the sprint stage for the Paris Olympics, Jonatan began to awaken. First, he broke Indonesia’s 30-year men’s singles title drought at the 2024 All England Open and then won the Asian Championships in Ningbo for the first time. In the subsequent Thomas Cup in Chengdu, Jonatan shed his “soft” image in team competitions. Although the Indonesian team finished as runners-up, Jonatan held his nerve when Indonesia was down 0-2 to China, securing the only point for his team in the final, boasting an undefeated six-match streak just like Shi Yuqi.

In his match against Li Shifeng, both players seized every opportunity, even resorting to some controversial tactics. However, after the match, Jonatan, with his signature smile, was the first to apologize to Chinese fans. “First of all, I want to say sorry to the Chinese fans. If I left a bad impression, please forgive and understand me! I was defending my country and fighting for my nation during the match.”

Jonatan gave his all for the Indonesian flag in Chengdu. After the match, he transformed into a fanboy on the training ground, taking a photo that thrilled him immensely. In the picture, he was flanked by Lin Dan, the two-time Olympic gold medalist from Beijing and London, and Taufik Hidayat, the Athens Olympic men’s singles champion. Jonatan beamed brightly as he was surrounded by these two legendary figures.

Perhaps Jonatan hopes to carry some of their good fortune to Paris. After all, his recent strong performances have made him a potential gold medal contender for the Paris Olympics.