Jonatan Christie Eyes First Indonesia Open Title in 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie is setting his sights on conquering one of the few major titles that has so far eluded him, as he targets the 2026 Indonesia Open, scheduled for June 2-7 at Istora Gelora Bung Karno, as a key milestone in his season.

The men’s singles player admitted he is “curious” and eager to finally conquer the Polytron Indonesia Open 2026, which has become one of his main targets this year. “Winning the Indonesia Open has always been on my wish list. It is one of my main targets this year,” Jonatan stated in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The player, popularly known as Jojo, said he has discussed with his coaching team to make the BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament a primary focus, given that his performances in recent editions have not been optimal.

He is determined to prepare thoroughly in all aspects to achieve the best possible result at the tournament. “I will definitely prepare 100 percent in every aspect because I want to achieve the best result. Last year I may have exited early, but that became a lesson,” he said.

Jonatan’s ambition is understandable. Since making his debut in 2015, he has never won the Indonesia Open title. His best result came in 2021 when he reached the semifinals before being defeated by Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 19-21, 15-21.

Since then, his performances at the tournament have been inconsistent. He reached the quarterfinals in 2023, but exited early in the last two editions, in the first round in 2024 and the second round in 2025.

Beyond technical preparation, Jonatan is also looking forward to the return of the unique atmosphere at Istora, which he described as having its own “magic” for players. “Istora has never changed, it has its own magic. With incredible spectators, I think it cannot be replaced by any other stadium,” he added.

He hopes fans will once again fill the arena, especially with more affordable ticket prices expected to attract more badminton enthusiasts. “I hope badminton lovers will come, attend, enliven the event, and support us Indonesian athletes,” said the 2018 Asian Games gold medalist.

Jonatan also highlighted the increasingly competitive global badminton landscape, particularly with the rapid rise of European countries. According to him, this development is driven by the growing use of modern sports science, both in training and athlete development off the court.

“Countries that previously could not place players at the top level now have several strong players. It shows very rapid development,” he continued.

Despite the tougher competition, Jonatan emphasized that he would remain focused on his own preparation and use the home advantage to answer his long-standing ambition at this year’s Indonesia Open. ***