Kento Momota, who claimed the world championship twice, announced his retirement from the global circuit on Thursday. He candidly shared that he has struggled to find his footing since a horrific car crash four years ago. Back in 2019, the Japanese star was the dominant force in badminton, winning 11 titles and losing a mere six times across 73 matches. This momentum was shattered in January 2020 when a vehicle heading to Kuala Lumpur airport crashed just hours after his victory at the Malaysia Masters. The tragedy resulted in the driver's death and left Momota needing surgery for a damaged eye socket.
Kento Momota, a two-time world champion, announced his retirement from international badminton on Thursday, confessing he has never been the same after a terrible vehicle tragedy four years ago. Japan’s Momota was once the uncontested king of badminton, capturing 11 titles and losing only six of his 73 matches in 2019. However, in January 2020, the vehicle transporting him to Kuala Lumpur airport crashed hours after he won the Malaysia Masters. The driver was killed, and Momota required surgery to fix a damaged eye socket.
Upon returning to the court after a year-long hiatus, Momota battled double vision, which prevented him from reaching the elite level of play he once possessed, despite adding two more titles to his resume. Currently ranked 52nd and unable to qualify for the Paris Olympics, he will officially leave Japan's national squad after the upcoming Thomas Cup in China. Moving forward, he will focus exclusively on domestic Japanese events rather than competing on the international World Tour.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Momota opened up about the grueling period following the accident. He described a frustrating process of trial and error as he attempted to return to his peak, eventually realizing there was an insurmountable gap between his intentions and what his body could actually achieve. He acknowledged that he could no longer compete at the same level as the world's top athletes.
The 29-year-old athlete stated he has no regrets about stepping away from elite competition. He now intends to focus on growing the sport of badminton within Japan and expressed deep gratitude to those who supported him during his lowest moments. He admitted that the hardships were exhausting, but he refused to simply blame the accident for his struggles. Instead, he focused on bouncing back, noting that his resilience and the support of others helped him regain some stability.
Despite his ambitions to compete in the Paris Olympics this summer, Momota's current ranking wasn't high enough to earn him a spot on the Japanese team. He looks back at his first-round exit from the 2021 Tokyo Games as a deeply frustrating experience.
He admitted he likely wasn't fully prepared for the Tokyo Games, but since competing in the Olympics had been a lifelong dream, he still views it as a valuable experience. He encouraged his teammates heading to Paris to stay composed and learn from the mistakes he made.