Momota, Yamaguchi raise Olympics hopes

Tokyo, July 29

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World No. 1 Kento Momota said he was lifted by the crowd and can’t wait to return for the Tokyo Olympics after he sealed a home singles sweep at the Japan Open.

Momota and Akane Yamaguchi gave Japan their first ever sweep of the men’s and women’s singles titles on Sunday, raising Japanese hopes a year out from the 2020 Games. Momota, last year’s champion, has now won 10 matches in a row at the venue that will host the Olympics badminton tournament. “I felt great as I heard a lot of applause and the court is great, too,” Momota said. “I want to play (next year) to entertain them at this venue so that I can return the favour,” he said.

Momota clinched the men’s title after world No. 2 Yamaguchi beat third-ranked Nozomi Okuhara in an all-Japanese women’s singles decider. — AFP