Kento Momota wins Japan title a year after suffering injuries from a car crash in which the driver was killed
- The world number one says it is a big relief to be winning again after his three-game victory over 11th-ranked Kanta Tsuneyama in the final
- It was Momota’s third straight national title and he is now looking forward to playing against foreign opponents in the Thailand Open
Badminton world number one Kento Momota won the All-Japan championships on Sunday to complete the first step of his comeback, nearly a year after suffering serious injuries in a car crash.
Momota came from behind to beat world number 11 Kanta Tsuneyama 18-21, 21-12, 21-17 in Tokyo, marking a successful return from the accident that left him fearing his career might be over after fracturing an eye socket.
The win gave Momota his third straight national title, and he immediately turned his thoughts towards making his international comeback at the Thailand Open in January.
“I had the initiative in the first game but then I started to lose my cool once I had the lead,” said Momota. “I think that’s because I’m still not used to playing matches. In the second and third games, I wanted to put all my feeling into it regardless of technique or tactics, and I think I willed myself to the win.
“The Thailand Open starts in the new year and I’ll be able to play against players from overseas. I want to go there and show what I can do as the top Japanese player.”
Momota was badly hurt in January when the vehicle taking him to the airport after he won the Malaysia Masters crashed, killing the driver.