Badminton: Japan's Kento Momota wins Korea Open, China's He Bingjiao takes women's title
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Japan's Kento Momota plays a shot during the men's singles final match against Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen at the Korea Open badminton tournament in Incheon, on Sept 29, 2019.
PHOTO: REUTERS
SEOUL (AFP) - Top-ranked Kento Momota of Japan clinched the men's singles title at the Korea Open badminton tournament on Sunday (Sept 29) with a win over world No. 2 Chou Tien-chen.
The 25-year-old downed the Chinese Taipei player 21-19, 21-17 in a final that lasted 53 minutes.
Momota, with over 300 wins under his belt, saw his career descend into controversy in 2016 when he was suspended for more than a year for visiting an illegal casino and was denied a spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Japanese star, who was world No. 2 at the time, has since worked his way back to the top and his latest title raises his Olympic hopes a year ahead of the Tokyo Games.
In the women's final, China's He Bingjiao defeated Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 18-21, 24-22, 21-17.
South Korea dominated the women's doubles, with Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong beating compatriots Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan 13-21, 21-19, 21-17.
Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto defeated Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda of Japan 21-16, 21-17 to clinch the men's doubles title.
Thailand ensured that the day's honours were shared equally, when Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai beat Chinese top seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong 21-14, 21-13 in the mixed doubles.