In a shocking start to the 2022 Indonesia Open, world number two Kento Momota was eliminated in his very first match by Rasmus Gemke of Denmark. This loss marks another low point in a challenging season for the two-time world champion during the BWF World Tour Super 1000. The Japanese athlete was defeated 21-19, 19-21, 21-14 by the world number 13. Gemke, 25, put in a gritty performance at Jakarta's Istora arena, fighting for 82 minutes to secure the win against the second seed.
Badminton world no.2 Kento Momota suffered an early exit from the Indonesia Open 2022 after losing his first-round match against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke. Two-time world champion Kento Momota’s hard and difficult season continued on the BWF World Tour Super 1000 event as he bowed out to Rasmus Gemke in Jakarta. Gemke, currently ranked 13th in the world, defeated the Japanese shuttler 21-19, 19-21, and 21-14 to advance into the next round. The 25-year-old Denmark player battled well to surpass the second-seeded Momota in an 82-minute match at the Istora sporting arena in Jakarta.
Momota, who once held the top spot in the world, is still struggling to regain the dominant form he had before a severe, nearly career-ending car accident in January 2020. His recent track record has been disappointing; he suffered a first-round exit at the Thailand Open last month and could only reach the quarter-finals at the prestigious All England Open.
Following his departure from the Indonesia Open, Momota expressed deep frustration, noting that a series of unforced errors cost him the game. The Japanese star vowed to intensify his training and work harder to improve his performance in future events. Since claiming the Super 750 Indonesia Masters title last November, he has been unable to find his rhythm, which ultimately led to his loss against Gemke. Moving forward, Gemke is set to face France's Brice Leverdez in the second round.
The Japanese star has struggled for form since winning the Super 750 Indonesia Masters in November last year. Momota failed to raise his game level and eventually fell to Gemke. Gemke will be against Brice Leverdez of France in the second-round tie.
Brice Leverdez, ranked 41st globally, pulled off a massive upset by defeating India's Srikanth Kidambi with a score of 23-21, 21-10. The Frenchman dominated the match, needing only 42 minutes to take down the world number 11. It was a milestone victory for Leverdez, who finally beat the Indian star after five previous failed attempts.
The first set was a tight contest; Leverdez trailed 10-11 at the mid-game mark but managed to turn the tide with some smart play. He carried that momentum into the second set, where he played aggressively and completely shut down Kidambi's attempts to get back into the match.
Earlier that day, India's Lakshya Sen, ranked eighth in the world, was eliminated after a clash with fellow countryman HS Prannoy. Prannoy dominated the men's singles match, winning 21-10, 21-9 in just over half an hour. Sen struggled to keep up with Prannoy's aggressive style, and the victory marked Prannoy's first win in their three career meetings.