Source:REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] Yesterday, a netizen shared a
photo of the renowned Japanese player, Kento Momota, in tears on the court,
which garnered significant concern from fans. According to reports, this
incident occurred during the mid-week Japan SJ Badminton Super League. Momota
Kento, who belongs to NTT East Japan Club, suffered a 1-2 defeat in the
semifinals against the top-ranked doubles pair of the Japanese national team,
Hoki Takuro/Kobayashi Yugo, representing Tonami Transport Club. Despite
Momota’s valiant efforts in a three-game battle, defeating his national
teammate Kanta Tsuneyama, the team still faced defeat. Momota Kento was visibly
distraught and shed tears after the game. In the subsequent battle for third
place, Momota Kento did not participate, and NTT East Club suffered a 0-2 loss,
ultimately missing out on a podium finish. Momota Kento is renowned as a
singles prodigy in the Japanese badminton world. At the age of 20, he played a
pivotal role in Japan’s historic victory in the Thomas Cup. At 21, he became
the first Japanese player to win the BWF World Finals. His future appeared
bright and limitless. Unfortunately, in 2020, following Kento Momota’s triumph
at the Malaysian Open, he was involved in a car accident while traveling on the
organizer’s bus to the airport, which significantly impacted his sporting
career. Despite his determined comeback, Momota Kento has struggled to regain
top form. Currently, he ranks 47th in the Olympic points ranking and will not
be able to participate in the Paris Olympics. The fate of this former world
champion has left fans deeply saddened.