All England: Momota, Minions Make Winning Return
There was little to indicate the long layoff from competition. With his engines purring smoothly on the opening day of the YONEX All England, Kento Momota vaulted his first hurdle in his first international match…
· DEV SUKUMAR
There was little to indicate the long layoff from competition. With his engines purring smoothly on the opening day of the YONEX All England, Kento Momota vaulted his first hurdle in his first international match since 12 January 2020.
For a first round match after such a long layoff – he had endured a traffic accident, surgery for double vision, and COVID-19 – Momota looked sharp. The steady, rallying game was on point, and so was his defence on either flank. His opponent Parupalli Kashyap had his chance to take the match to a third game by saving three match points, but the two-time world champion closed it out before it could get any trickier. Nobody was more respectful of his performance than his opponent Parupalli.
“I’m in good shape but I could not figure out how to play him, at least at the start, and the beginning of the second game,” said Parupalli.