Momota makes history in S'pore

THE men's singles final at the OUE Singapore Open pitted youth against experience and past victories against current form.

But in the 80-minute clash between Japan's Kento Momota and Hong Kong's Hu Yun, it was the former's patience and courage that were rewarded.

Momota prevailed 21-17, 16-21, 21-15 against his Hong Kong counterpart, the 20-year-old yesterday becoming the first badminton player from Japan to win a Superseries men's singles title.

Having met seven times on the professional circuit since 2012, each was familiar with the other's game. And for much of the first game, world No. 10 Momota looked on course to extend his superior 4-3 record against Hu, who is 13 years his senior.

But just as he had rallied from behind so many times during this Singapore Open en route to the final - taking out world No. 1 Chen Long along the way - Hu soon found his second wind and raised his game.

The see-saw battle saw gutsy shots and sublime net flicks from both players, but a successful challene by Momota at 15-15 in the rubber game completely shifted the momentum the Japanese player's way. He went on to win the next six points - and the title.

Momota admitted that at 7-11 down in the decider, he had thought the title was beyond him.

He said: "Hu Yun was playing aggressively at that point and it felt difficult to beat him.

"But the draught was to my advantage after we changed sides. I just tried to keep pushing him to the back of the court, be patient, use my legs and make him run around."

The 2012 world junior champion who had helped Japan to a historic triumph at the Thomas Cup last year, Momota said he had felt weighed down by pressure before the match.

"I knew I had a chance to be the first Japanese to win a Superseries men's singles title, so I felt some pressure coming in. I was really concerned about it... but I just tried to turn it into motivation."

Hu, meanwhile, could only rue what could have been.

Said the world No. 13: "I wanted to win so much towards the end that I didn't really put much thought into how I was going to win. I tensed up and didn't do what I'm usually able to do well."

In the women's singles, a first-time finalist also had a taste of victory after staging a late comeback.

China's Sun Yu fought off three match points against Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying to win 21-13, 19-21, 22-20.

The world No. 11 used her 1.83m frame to her advantage in her attack.

Said the 2013 semi-finalist: "I think I was bolder in my play and stuck closer to my strategy.

"I made the last four the first time I played here, and now I've won the title. Singapore seems to be a pretty lucky place for me. I'll probably be back next year."

Tai, meanwhile, admitted that she simply ran out of steam.

"I was surprised to even be able to get to a third game. I was worn out and forced myself to hang on but just couldn't find the strength in the end," said the world No. 6.

In the mixed doubles, China's Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei won the title without lifting a racket after team-mates Lu Kai and Huang Yaqiong handed them a walkover.

Lu cited an aggravation to a long-standing problem with a cyst on his left knee, which prevented him from flexing it, as the reason behind the decision.

Zhang and his men's doubles partner Fu Haifeng were beaten 21-15, 11-21, 21-14 by Indonesia's Angga Pratama and Ricky Karanda Suwardi.

The winners

Men's singles

Kento Momota (Jpn) bt Hu Yun (Hkg) 21-17 16-21 21-15

Women's singles

Sun Yu (Chn) bt Tai Tzu-ying (Tpe) 21-13 19-21 22-20

Men's doubles

Angga Pratama/Ricky Karanda Suwardi (Ina) bt Fu Haifeng/ Zhang Nan (Chn) 21-15 11-21 21-14

Women's doubles

Ou Dongni/Yu Xiaohan (Chn) bt Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-17 21-16

Mixed doubles

Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Lu Kai/Huang Yaqiong (Chn) w/o

maychen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Apr 13, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.