Momota bags Indonesia Masters 2021 title

World no.1 Kento Momota beat world no.3 Anders Antonsen to win BWF World Tour Super 750 Indonesia Masters in Bali.

This is Momota’s first international title since his return from an unfortunate career-threatening accident last year. Momota had sustained multiple wounds on his face, a broken eye socket, and a fractured nose in a car accident in January 2020 on his way back to the airport after the Malaysia Masters tournament.

The Japanese ace shuttler had lost to Antonsen when they had previously met in 2019 at the same event. This time Momota avenged his loss as he battered Antonsen 21-17, 21-11.

Comparatively, Momota had an easy draw at the Super 750 event. After Viktor Axelsen’s loss in the pre-quarter finals Momota had no major threats from the rest of the pack.

Speaking at the post-match interview Momota said, “I am so happy, I’ve worked so hard for this victory. I was just trying to play my best in both games. I didn’t do anything else and I wasn’t rushing my shots. Doing my best got me there in the end.

"Antonsen is a very strong opponent. I really enjoyed the match. But I don’t think he enjoyed playing today,” he concluded.

Bali will continue to host two more back-to-back tournaments, the Indonesia Open that starts on 23rd November and the World Tour Finals scheduled between 01st-05th December.

Momota’s Sunday win has set up an exciting competition in the following tournaments.

Apart from Momota’s win, South Korean world no.6 An Seyoung beat world no.3 Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-19 to win her second BWF Super 750 title. This is An Seyoung’s first title since Korea Masters in 2019.

In other categories, Japan’s men’s doubles pair of Takuro Hoki / Yugo Kobayashi beat the top seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon / Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo 21-11, 17-21, 21-19 to win the doubles title. This is their first-ever win over Indonesian top seeds.

The Japanese women’s doubles pair of Nami Matsuyama / Chiharu Shida beat South Korea’s Jeong Na-Eun / Kim Hye-Jeong 21-9, 21-11 to secure the women's title.

Thailand’s top seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai thumped Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man / Tse Ying Suet 21-11, 21-12 to secure the mixed doubles title.

Next up, Siminvest Indonesia Open, 23rd - 28th November 2021.