Badminton Asia champion Kento Momota of Japan has arrived on the world stage in style when he demolished China’s All-England champion, third seed Shi Yuqi 21-11, 21-13 in 49 minutes to be crowned the
new world champion in Nanjing, China on Sunday.
The sixth-seeded 23-year-old Momota also wrote himself into Japan badminton’s history books as the first man from his country to win the world title. He won the bronze medal at the same championships in Jakarta in 2015.
There was another piece of history for Japan when they had pair playing in the men’s doubles final in the world meet for the first time. However, Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda could achieve what Momota achieved.
The fifth-seeded Japanese could only win the silver – losing 12-21, 19-21, to China’s fourth seeds Liu Junhui-Liu Yuchen.
For the second successive time, Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota played bridesmaid in the World Championships women’s doubles and it left the pair in tears and agony as they failed to clinch two match points in the decider.
The number two seeds fell to an agonizing 19-21, 21-19, 22-20 defeat to compatriots and No 11 seeds Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara in a marathon 95-minute encounter.
In the women’s singles final it was another disappointment for India’s hope P.V. Sindhu when the third seed went down to Spain’s Carolina Marin who won 21-19, 21-10 in 45 minutes for her third world title.
The mixed doubles final was an all-China affair withZheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong, the top seeds, coming off 21-17, 21-19 winners against second seeds Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping.
RESULTS (ALL FINALS)
WD: Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara (Jpn) beat Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (Jpn) 19-21, 21-19, 22-20
XD: Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) beat Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping (Chn) 21-17, 21-19
WS: Carolina Marin (Spn) beat P. V. Sindhu (Ind) 21-19, 21-10
MS: Kento Momota (Jpn) beat Shi Yuqi (Chn) 21-11, 21-13
MD: Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen (Chn) beat Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) 21-12, 21-19
