Friday, 17 May 2024

Kento Momota Gradually Progressing towards His Best Form

Kento Momota, the two-time world champion, has been making strides towards regaining his previous level of play, despite recent setbacks. In the finals of the PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2022, Momota suffered a loss to Viktor Axelsen, followed by a defeat to Kanta Tsuneyama in the PERODUA Malaysia Masters 2022. However, Momota remains optimistic and believes he is gradually catching up to his old form.

In a post-match interview, Momota acknowledged feeling fatigued after two weeks of intense competition. He stated, “At the moment, I don’t have enough in the reserve tank. Previously, I could play back-to-back tournaments or win 10 matches in a row, but right now, I have neither the energy nor the endurance.” Despite these challenges, Momota is committed to getting back to his peak performance. He emphasized, “I feel like I’m gradually catching up. I’ve been working on regaining my power, and I will keep at it. That’s what I have to do.”

Momota overcame another compatriot Koki Watanabe in the opening round.

Momota’s dominance in the badminton world peaked in 2019 when he won a record-breaking 11 titles in a season, including four consecutive victories. However, his level of play has declined since his return from eye socket surgery in 2020, following a car accident. Despite this setback, Momota remains hopeful and is looking forward to the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2022, which will be held in his home country of Japan. He did not set any specific targets for the tournament, stating, “I’m not at that stage to set targets yet. I’ll need to manage and balance the reality and the expectations.”

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Momota and Tsuneyama in action.

Kanta Tsuneyama, who defeated Momota in the PERODUA Malaysia Masters 2022, expressed his belief that badminton will soon witness the return of the best version of his countryman. Tsuneyama recognized the ongoing recovery process for Momota, stating, “Everyone wants to beat him because it means a lot to do it against our No.1. But we know he’s not 100 per cent yet.”

FAQs

  1. Will Momota be competing in the upcoming TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2022?
    Momota is looking forward to participating in the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2022, which will be held in his home country, Japan.

  2. Has Momota set any specific targets for his future tournaments?
    Momota is currently focusing on gradually regaining his old level of play and managing the balance between reality and expectations. He has not set any specific targets yet.

  3. What happened to Momota after his car accident in 2020?
    Momota suffered an eye socket fracture in a car crash after winning the Malaysia Masters in 2020. He underwent surgery to correct the injury and has been working on his recovery ever since.

  4. What were some of Momota’s previous achievements?
    Momota has achieved remarkable success in his career, including two world championship titles in 2018 and 2019, as well as a record-breaking 11 titles in a single season in 2019.

Conclusion

Despite recent setbacks, Kento Momota remains determined to reach his previous level of play. He acknowledges the challenges he currently faces but is committed to working hard and regaining his power. As he continues his journey towards recovery and improvement, badminton enthusiasts eagerly await the return of Momota’s best form. For more information on Kento Momota and the world of badminton, visit Carnegiecentre.

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