Kumamoto: Kento Momota, the two-time badminton world champion, has once again demonstrated his unwavering spirit and remarkable talent, securing his place in the men’s singles top 32 at the Super 500 Japan Masters on Tuesday. This achievement marks another significant milestone in his ongoing comeback journey.
Momota’s resurgence began last week at the Korea Masters, where he battled his way to the finals and emerged victorious over his fellow countryman Koki Watanabe, ranked 26th in the world, with a score of 21-16, 21-15. This victory marked his first BWF World Tour title in 721 days, a testament to his unwavering determination and unwavering focus on regaining his former glory.
Momota’s impressive performance continued this week, as his world ranking soared 11 places, propelling him to 41st position. However, due to his previous low world rankings, Momota had to fight his way from the qualifying round on his home turf.
In his first match on Tuesday, Momota faced Indonesian player Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, overcoming a tough challenge with a 21-19 and 23-21 victory. Undeterred, he continued his winning streak, defeating Thailand’s Nachakorn Pusri 21-13, 21-8 to secure his spot in the top 32.
Momota’s next challenge awaits him on Wednesday, as he faces Singapore’s 2021 World Champion and current world number 9 Loh Kean Yew. This highly anticipated clash is expected to be an electrifying display of badminton prowess.
In men’s doubles, Malaysia’s World No. 12 Teo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin punched their ticket to the second round, defeating their fellow countrymen of Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun 21-16, 21-7.
In women’s doubles, after a month-long rest, Malaysia’s World No. 13 women’s doubles duo of Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan successfully navigated their first test at the Japanese Masters in Kumamoto on Tuesday.
The world No. 13 pair was forced to dig deep before prevailing over South Korea’s Lee Yu Lim/Shin Seung Chan 21-14, 20-22, 21-18 in a hard-fought first-round encounter held at the Kumamoto Gymnasium.
The last time Pearly-Thinaah took to the court was at the Hangzhou Asian Games last month, where Pearly Tan sustained an injury. This unfortunate setback forced them to withdraw from three tournaments in Europe: the Arctic Open, the Danish Open, and the French Open.
