BWF Malaysia Open 2025: Jonatan Christie, Loh Kean Yew out in first round in Kuala Lumpur
Third seed Christie joins fourth seed Viktor Axelsen in crashing out at the Axiata Arena, but his Indonesian counterpart Anthony Ginting is through.
Badminton
More big names fell by the wayside in the first round of badminton's 2025 BWF Malaysia Open on Wednesday (8 January) in Kuala Lumpur.
Third seed Jonatan Christie was the highest-profile casualty, the Indonesian joining Olympic champion and fourth seed Viktor Axelsen – who was eliminated on Tuesday – on the sidelines.
Up against France's Toma Junior Popov, Christie never got going early on as Popov breezed to a 21–8 first game.
That warning shot seemed to jolt Christie into action, the Indonesian rallying in the second and taking that game 21–14 to level the match.
The decider was a tight affair that went all the way and beyond 21 points, but eventually Popov completed the shock win 21–8, 14–21, 26–24 in a tiring 81-minute contest.
Also out is Singapore's 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew, who has struggled in recent months to find his top form.
Loh was despatched by Japan's Watanabe Koki 13–21, 18–21 in straight games in 46 minutes.
However, through to the second round are Christie's Indonesian counterpart Anthony Sinisuka Ginting as well as Thailand's 2023 world champion and Olympic silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn.
Ginting saw off Chinese Taipei's Lee Chia-Hao 21–12, 21–18, but fifth-seeded Kunlavut survived a scare from France's Alex Lanier.
Lanier forced Kunlavut to a decider and beyond before Kunlavut won 21–11, 12–21, 23–21 in an hour and 20 minutes of play.
Ginting and Kunlavut play each other in the last 16.