JABAR EKSPRES – Japanese men’s singles badminton athlete Kento Momota said he had not fully recovered from an injury when competing in the first round of the Indonesia Open 2023 at Istora Senayan Jakarta, Tuesday.
Kento Momota had to lose after fighting against Hong Kong representative Angus Ng Ka Long, with two straight games 8-21, 15-21 in the round of 32.
“My performance declined not only because (of) the accident (in Malaysia), but also now I am still in the rehabilitation process for my back pain which has not fully recovered. I want to focus on that recovery first,” Kento Momota said after the match.
Momota was one of three victims involved in a fatal accident in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in January 2020. At that time, the minibus carrying him crashed into the back of a 30-ton truck loaded with soil, causing the front of the minibus to be crushed.
As time went on, he tried to recover and get back on his feet and competed in various badminton events around the world to improve his overall performance. However, the former world number one did not deny that it took a long time.
At the Indonesia Open 2023 – which is a Super 1000 level tournament as well as a series of Race to Olympic 2024 – Momota admitted that he did not have a special target given his recent less than optimal condition.
This was evident in the match against Ng, where he struggled to get point after point to catch up with his opponent. In the second game, Momota tried to get up and put enough pressure on Ng, although in the end he had to recognize the superiority of the Hong Kong representative.
“Actually, I didn’t have a special target when I came here, but I really like being here because a lot of people come and support me. Indeed, the match was tough for me. But because many people support me, I always like playing here,” Momota said.
