Two-time world champion Kento Momota announces retirement from international badminton
Momota became the first Japanese man to win the world championship in 2018 in China and the following year he successfully defended his crown in Switzerland.
Japan’s Kento Momota suffered a shock loss in China on Sunday as he was bested by Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in just two sets.
The third seed, who took the Japan Open title on home ground last week, was beaten by world number 13 Ginting 23-21, 21-19.
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In a closely fought final, Momota had been leading in early moments but Ginting persisted to bring the score to 21-all.
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The first game ended in an epic rally that saw Momota diving to save a shot right at the net — but Ginting placed his return at the back of the court.
The 22-year-old went on to comfortably take the second game, collapsing in joy when a miss by Momota sealed his win.
Ginting last beat Momota at the Asian Games in Jakarta last month. His spirited takedown of reigning Olympic champion Chen Long also gave the Games some of its most riveting badminton.
Indonesia’s newest poster boy has already gained a reputation as a giant slayer — en route to the final, he beat top seed Viktor Axelsen, number six Chen Long and number five Chou Tien Chen.
The men’s doubles was won by the Danish duo of Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, who beat Chinese duo Han Chengkai and Zhou Haodong in a three-game match, 21-13, 17-21, 21-14.
Spain’s Carolina Marin beat China’s Chen Yufei 21-18, 21-13 in 47 minutes to take the women’s singles title.
An all-Japanese women’s doubles final saw Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi defeat newly-crowned world champions Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara.
The badminton fraternity has also been reacting to Saturday’s revelation that one of its biggest stars, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, has early-stage nose cancer and is being treated in Taiwan.
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