Christie begins All England title defence with Leong win
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FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Badminton - Men's Singles Group play stage - Porte de La Chapelle Arena, Paris, France - July 31, 2024. Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in action during the Group L match against Lakshya Sen of India. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
BIRMINGHAM, England - Indonesian world number two Jonatan Christie began his title defence with a 21-11 21-19 victory over Jun Hao Leong of Malaysia on day one of the All England Open badminton championships in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Third seed Christie continued a run of strong performances, having reached the semi-finals of the India Open in January before heading into the Indonesia Masters final, where he lost to Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.
"I'm so glad I have the opportunity to be (coming here as) the champion," Christie said.
"Last year, I came here with nothing. The first four tournaments of last year, I lost in the first and second rounds. I came here with nothing to lose, I just pushed myself 100% but this year is really different."
The 27-year-old, who won his first Super 1000 title at the 2024 event, will face India's Lakshya Sen in the last 16.
Top seed and 2018 winner Shi Yu Qi of China dispatched Indonesia's Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo 21-13 21-8 while compatriot Li Shi Feng, world number six, came from behind to beat Canadian Brian Yang 21-11 18-21 21-16.
In the women's singles, two-times world champion and last year's finalist Akane Yamaguchi powered through an intense first game to beat Thuy Linh Nguyen of Vietnam 21-19 21-12, as she hopes for better fortune in this year's tournament.
The Japanese world number three, winner in 2022, was forced to retire from the 2024 final due to a hip injury with Spain's Carolina Marin, who is yet to return to the sport after the Olympics, claiming the title.
Yamaguchi will play Indian world number 28 Malvika Bansod for a spot in the quarter-finals.
South Korean top seed An Se-young, the Olympic gold medallist in Paris, will face China's Gao Fangjie on Wednesday as she looks to regain the title she won in 2023. REUTERS
