The Total Badminton of Kento Momota
Read our newest article about Kento Momota and his tactics published on June 8th, 2020: Badminton in numbers: why Viktor Axelsen can’t beat Kento Momota?
On September 16th, every badminton fan could observe the rise of a new sports legend. On that day, Kento Momota, 24 years old player, won the Japan Open 2018 tournament, which was a part of a world tour arranged by the World Badminton Federation. Compared with other popular sports, world tour in badminton is similar to grand slam tour in tennis, world cup in biathlon or Grand Prix tour in Formula 1… Only the best players, the maximum attention of the audience and press, valuable prizes!
So, what happened that day?
In order to understand it, we have to go back to April 2016. On that day, Japanese Badminton Federation decided to cancel the Olympic license of Kento Momota and to exclude him from the national team of Japan. Moreover, it was decided that Kento Momota would have no right to compete in the official tournaments for the next 2 years. It happened because Kento had been accused of gambling, which was illegal in Japan.
So, the young and ambitious sportsman, who had all chances to become a new star of World’s badminton, lost the chance to achieve his life-long goal. For many sportsmen, it would mean a knockdown from his feet. But after his excuses to Japanese people at the open press conference, Kento Momota continued his training.
Surely, after the scandal, everyone has forgotten about Kento Momota. The pleiad of new stars has arisen after the Rio-2016. Chen Long, Olympic champion, Viktor Axelsen, the first world champion from Europe, Shi Yuqi, rising star from China, and getting older but still strong Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei, dominated the World of Badminton.
They all were defeated within 3 months of 2018 by the total badminton of Kento Momota.
Everything has started from the prestigious tournament of national teams, Thomas Cup 2018. The national team of Japan, which was considered as an underdog before the championship, surprised everyone and got into the final, lost all games to the team of China but one. The one, in which Kento Momota played against the Olympic champion Chen Long. In 2 straight games, the Chinese player was beaten. Before the final, Kento won all his matches, including one against worlds champion Viktor Axelsen. In just one week, he has beaten two formally strongest players in the world. What a great return to the top league!
Everyone noticed the quality of the game, which Kento Momota had. But his high speed, the accuracy of shots, and winning tactics were considered rather as signs of not the best shape of top worlds players of the time. Skeptics told that Viktor Axelsen had just recovered from his injury, Jen Long had not played his best since Rio-2016. Moreover, many said that the team tournament always impacts the level of individual players’ motivation.
But only 2 weeks later Kento Momota proved everyone that it was not an accident. At Malaysia Open 2018, he overplayed everyone and easily reached the finals, where he had a great game against the playing legend, Lee Chong Wei. To my mind, it was the best game of LCW since the Olympic games of 2016. Highly motivated and supported by non-stop cheering supporters, LCW won that match; you can watch it here:
But the time of the triumph for Kento Momota was close.
Just in a week, at Indonesia Open 2018, Kento Momota did not find anyone who could stop him. In 2 straight games, Kento Momota had beaten Viktor Axelsen.
Before the final, Kento Momota met LCW and won the game as well as he won the game against Indian star Srikanth Kidambi. So, his returning to top tournaments was really remarkable!
The World Championship in India was ahead. Everything had to become clear. No more excuses for top players.
And again, Kento Momota, who met in R1 Ukrainian player Artem Pochtartov didn’t find the resistance till the final match, were the strongest Chinese player for that time, Shi Yuqi, was ready to use his powerful smash to beat the upstart!
In 2 games, Kento Momota has shown that his badminton is the best in the world.
Japanese player, who had not had a chance to play against top players at an official tournament before his return, came back and become the first sportsman from Japan, who had won World Championship in men singles category.
The badminton, which Kento Momota was playing from the April to July, can be called “Total Badminton”. To my mind, it is close to ideal. It had everything that has led to the total dominance of Momota on the court. The speed of movements. Tactical and strategic perfection. Accuracy and power of shots. The ideal combination of risky and safe shots. Kento Momota has controlled the game in all his games, dictating the path and the picture of the game.
Meantime, Kento’s game looks like an easy walking. To amateurs, it may seem that Kento Momota plays effortless game…
Surely, I am not a professional sportsman to assess the game of Kento Momota in many aspects. And I am sure that Kento Momota has weaknesses (it will be shown later) BUT the way he played against top players of the world may only cause the admiration!
His achievement reminds me Vasyl Lomachenko, Ukrainian boxer as if from the “Matrix”, who became a champion in less than 3 fights in his professional career.
But everyone knows that the most difficult thing after you has reached the top is to keep being on the highest level. Only legendary sportsmen and best world players can keep the shape and stay on the top after becoming #1 in the world.
That is why all the attention after the world championship was paid to Japan Open 2018, where Kento Momota had a chance in some way to defend his title.
On the 16th of September, Kento Momota became a super star of badminton! In the final round, he beat Thai player Khosit Phetpradab and made a story, which would be difficult to repeat.
Will Kento Momota become a new legend? He has everything to do that. His comeback into world’s best badminton league has already made him a part of the story. People in badminton will always remember his achievements. Ahead, the young star has a lot of things to accomplish. I am almost sure that his main target will be the Olympic Games in Japan in 2020.
P.S. At the time, when I was writing this article, Kento Momota, after his final at China Open 2018 (he lost to Anthony Ginting), and the quarterfinals at Korea Open has become #1 player in the world’s ranking.
Here is the game against Anthony Ginting that proves that Kento Momota still has the space for getting better:
