BWF Korea Masters 2023: Momota Kento secures first title in two years - results
The two-time world champion beat fellow Japanese Watanabe Koki to win the BWF Super 300 tournament in Gwangju.
Badminton
Momota Kento ended his two-year title drought at the BWF Korea Masters in Gwangju on Sunday (12 November).
Japan's former badminton world number one and twice world champion defeated compatriot Watanabe Koki 21-16, 21-15 to claim his first tournament win since the Indonesian Masters in November 2021.
Watanabe won their last meeting at July's Japan Open, but Momota's superior touch at the net saw him take an 11-7 lead into the first mid-game interval.
The left-hander was able to stay clear and won a superb rally to convert his first game point after 23 minutes on court.
Momota, down to a world ranking of 52 after suffering injuries and confidence issues since a car accident in January 2020, maintained his level and raced into an 14-3 advantage in game two.
The seventh seed fought back and saved three match points to make the scoreline look respectable, but he seemed almost as happy as his 29-year-old opponent who took the title without dropping a game all week.
Three of the titles on finals day in Gwangju went to home players with top seed Kim Ga-eun defeating Japan's Miyazaki Tomoka 21-12 in the third to take the women's singles crown.
Third seeds Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan rounded out proceedings by taking an all-Chinese Taipei men's doubles final.
Next up for the shuttlers is the Japan Masters in Kumamoto starting on Tuesday, and you will be able to stream the best of the action live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com (territorial restrictions may apply).
Results from BWF Super 300 Korea Masters finals:
Mixed doubles: [1] Seo Seung-jae/Chae Yu-jung (KOR) def. [2] Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin (CHN) 21-14, 21-15
Women's singles: [1] Kim Ga-eun (KOR) def. Miyazaki Tomoka (JPN) 19-21, 21-17, 21-12
Women's doubles: [5] Hirokami Rui/Kato Yuna (JPN) lost to Jeong Na-eun/Kim Hye-jeong (KOR) 12-21, 19-21
Men's singles: [7] Watanabe Koki (JPN) lost to Momota Kento (JPN) 16-21, 15-21
Men's doubles: [3] Lee Jhe-huei/Yang Po-hsuan (TPE) def. Lee Yang/Wang Chi-lin (TPE) 21-17, 21-19