Momota Kento goes out in 1st round again, this time at Indonesia Masters
The former world No. 1 from Japan still unable to see the light at the end of a long tunnel, losing in two games to Shi Yu Qi in Jakarta. Indonesia's own Jonatan Christie is made to work but progresses in three sets vs Nhat Nguyen.
Badminton
Another tournament, another first-round defeat for Momota Kento.
The former badminton world No. 1's struggles continued on Wednesday (25 January) at the Indonesia Masters in Jakarta where the Japanese lefty again fell at the first hurdle, losing 21-18, 21-7 to Shi Yu Qi.
Momota crashed out in the opening round of last week's India Open where was beaten by Rasmus Gemke. He missed the first event on the calendar, the Malaysia Open, because of the flu.
In a meeting against the one-time world No. 2 - and a match-up between former tournament champions - Momota kept up in the first game, evenly trading points with the Chinese shuttler.
He was ahead 11-9 at the interval, and had every chance of taking the set with the score even at 17. But Shi went on to capture four of the last five points with Momota hitting long on the second game point.
It was all Shi in the second game who raced out to a 7-1 lead. Shi has matched up evenly with Momota over their careers, a 4-5 lifetime record.
But it was a familiar sight with Momota as of late - the shaking of the head, looking up at the ceiling and the slow, dragging of the feet. From 16-7, Shi swept the last five points of the match uncontested as the affair ended in 40 minutes.
Momota is not entered in the Thai Masters next week.
Also in the men's singles, crowd favourite Jonatan Christie came from behind to get past Nhat Nguyen 21-23, 21-11, 21-6 in a 67-minute marathon.
The fourth seed Indonesian was up 20-19 in the first game but threw Nguyen a lifeline, conceding four of the last five points - and the set.
Christie was far more resolute in the second game. Apart from allowing the first point he never trailed, owning an 11-6 lead at the break and plowed through the rest of the way.
The decider was more of the same for Christie, who did not let Nhat in the game, winning 10 of the last 12 points en route to the second round.
India's seventh seed Lakshya Sen eliminated rising Japanese star Naraoka Kodai in straight games, 21-12, 21-11.