Japanese badminton star Kento Momota announced his retirement on Thursday at a press meeting in Tokyo.
Momota, the former earth no 1, will cling his badminton kits following the Thomas and Uber Cup in Chengdu, People’s Republic of China, where by he will represent Japan. The tournaments are scheduled for April 27- May 5. Momota gained the Thomas Cup in 2014 in New Delhi.
Momota, 29, witnessed a slump in his vocation when he fulfilled with a lethal motor vehicle accident in Malaysia in January 2020, just before the get started of the Malaysia Open.
“At the time of my retirement from the national crew right after the Thomas Cup at the conclude of this thirty day period, I would like to specific my gratitude in individual. Due to the fact the car incident in January 2020, there have been many hard moments, and I have experimented with to participate in the way I required to engage in, but I consider I have had a fulfilling lifetime in my occupation as a nationwide workforce participant,” Momota claimed at the push convention.
“At the time of my retirement from the national workforce following the Thomas Cup at the conclusion of this month, I would like to express my gratitude in particular person.
Due to the fact the vehicle accident in January 2020, there have been numerous tough periods, and I have tried using to participate in the way I wanted to enjoy,… pic.twitter.com/PaG5bcnLA1
— 鈴木ガニス (@suzukiganis) April 18, 2024
In advance of he achieved with the accident, Momota was the environment no. 1 and was topped entire world winner 2 times. He also received the Asian Championships gold 2 times, apart from a number of other medals.
Momota, who retains the file for successful the most variety of Environment Tour titles -11 – in a period, is currently ranked 52nd in the Race to Paris and seventh among the Japanese men’s singles players. With a countrywide badminton federation suitable to ship a utmost of two players for each classification, Momota has really minor prospect of making it to the Olympics.
Given that recovering from the mishap, Momota produced a comeback to the Planet Tour, but he has by no means been the similar participant. He made a initial-round exit from the Tokyo Olympics. Since the accident, he received only two titles at Indonesia Masters in 2021 and Korea Masters in 2023.