Jonatan Christie, Lin Dan advance to SFs of Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Reigning Asian Games Champion and World No 10 Jonatan Christie, 21, Indonesia, upset 2017 (Glasgow) World Champion and World No 4 Viktor Axelsen, 25, in a pulsating quarter-finals match to advance to the semi-finals of Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open 2019, an HSBC BWF World Tours Super 750 level tournament, at Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 5, 2019.

Christie, who had stunned the reigning World Champion and World No 1 Kento Momota, 24, Japan, in second round on April 4, beat Axelsen 21-18, 21-19 in a fierce contest lasting 41 minutes. Christie was very aggressive at the nets and also smashed better than his opponent.

Christie had taken 8-2 lead in no time in the first game but Axelsen narrowed the gap and made it to 15-15. The second game was even closely contested one. Christie won 42 rallies in the match to 37 by Axelsen. He won 5 consecutive points to 3 by Axelsen. Axelsen though still leads Christie 2-1 head to head.

World No 16 Lin Das, 35, China, also advanced to the semi-finals defeating World No 13 Kanta Tsuneyama, 22, Japan, in a three-game thriller in the quarter-finals. Dan beat Tsuneyama 16-21, 21-17, 21-10 in 70 minutes. Dan won 58 rallies in the match to  48 by Tsuneyama. He won 7 consecutive points in the match to 4 by Tsuneyama.

Dan now leads Tsuneyama 3-1 head to head. Lin Dan also known as ‘Super Dan’ has won 65 career titles. He has won All England Open Badminton Championship title six times.