Kento Momota Returns to Court at Indonesia Masters 2024
Trang Napie
Sun Jan 28 2024
After a short break following a series of inspiring tournaments at the end of 2023, former world number one Kento Momota from Japan is set to make his comeback at the Indonesia Masters 2024 Super 500. The official matches will kick off on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. However, Momota's opening match in 2024 will be from the qualifying rounds. According to the World Badminton Federation's released list, Momota is placed in branch Q2.
In the first round of the qualifying stage, scheduled for January 23, 2024, Kento Momota will face the ascending player from Chinese Taipei, Su Li Yang, who is currently ranked 34th in the world - three places higher than the former world number one. This will be the first encounter between the two players.
If Momota advances to the final qualifying round, he will face the winner of the match between Arnaud Merkle from France and Nguyen Nhat from Ireland. In the main draw, if Momota progresses, he will face his compatriot and top seed Kodai Naraoka.
In the men's singles qualifying stage, Indonesia also has a strong representative, Shesar Hiren Rhustavito. In the first qualifying round, Rhustavito will compete against Kiran George from India. If he reaches the final qualifying match, there is a high possibility that Rhustavito will face another player from Chinese Taipei, Lee Chia Hao. Should Rhustavito secure a spot in the main draw, he will be up against French player Toma Junior Popov.
The return of Kento Momota to the badminton courts at the Indonesia Masters 2024 is highly anticipated. With an intriguing first match against Su Li Yang, fans are anxiously waiting to see how Momota's performance unfolds after his short hiatus. The presence of the formidable Shesar Hiren Rhustavito from Indonesia adds further excitement to the qualifying rounds. Spectators are in for an exhilarating tournament filled with intense matches and talented players.