Badminton Star Kento Momota announces competitive return

World No.1 Badminton player Kento Momota will return to competitive action during this month’s All-Japan Championship in Tokyo.

The two-time World Champion hasn’t played since his accident after the Malaysia Masters in January. The vehicle in which he was traveling to the Kuala Lumpur international airport had crashed into the back of a truck.

The driver got killed in the accident and two Japanese officials were injured as well. Momota, though, escaped with lacerations on his face. However, he started experiencing double vision and dizziness in training weeks later. On testing, it was found that he had a fractured left eye-socket.

He considered quitting the game following the accident but he had the desire to participate in Tokyo 2020, which was later postponed by a year.

Momota, however, has stayed at the top of the rankings. He won 11 straight tournaments in 2019 and the 2020 season got completely wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The BWF World Tour in Thailand is in plan next for Momota once he makes his return on home soil.

Speaking to media on Thursday, Momota said, “First I have the All-Japan Championships and I want to concentrate on that, but I’m really looking forward to playing against the best international players.

“I’m nervous but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Momota will also participate in two Thailand Open events in consecutive weeks of the 2020 BWF World Tour finals. All are supposed to be in Bangkok.

As confirmed by Thailand Badminton Association president Patama Leeswadtrakul, the top five players in the men’s and Women’s singles ranking will take part.

Momota, Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei, Danish pair Anders Antonsen and Viktor Axelsen, and reigning Olympic champion Chen Long are the top five on the men’s side.

However, Antonsen’s participation in Bangkok is highly doubtful has he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating.

Tai Tzu-ying, China’s Chen Yufei, Japanese duo Yamaguchi Akane and Okuhara Nozomi, and home favourite Ratchanok Intanon are the top five who are expected to participate in the Women’s category.