Momota defeats Indonesia Masters champ

JAKARTA: World number one Kento Momota breezed past reigning Indonesia Masters badminton champion Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 21-9, 21-10 on Friday to secure a semi-final spot.

Momota, who is Japan’s first male badminton player to hold the world number one ranking, was in control almost the entire game as he defeated last year’s winner and crowd favourite Ginting in 43 minutes.

Ginting previously defeated Momota when the two players met in Jakarta at the 2018 Asian Games. Despite Ginting’s loss, Indonesia still managed to secure a place in the men’s semi-final after Jonatan Christie won 21-18, 21-19 against Kidambi Srikanth from India.

Indonesia’s female double powerhouse Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu also won against Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in three sets 21-16, 17-21, 21-13.In the men’s double, Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan also won against Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen from China with 21-16 and 21-12.