Kento Momota eyes the missing Olympic gold
Kento Momota was banned from badminton for gambling in 2016.
Fast forward to 2019 and the Japanese has enjoyed one of the most successful years in the sport's history.
Momota has cleaned up in the men's singles over the past 12 months, winning a record 11 titles including the World Championships, Asia Championships and All England Open.
The 25-year-old capped his remarkable campaign by fighting back from a game down to defeat Indonesia's Anthony Ginting 17-21, 21-17, 21-14 after 87 minutes in Sunday's decider at the BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou.
No men's badminton player, not even Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei or Chinese great Lin Dan, has won as many tournaments in a season.
The left-handed Momota has played 73 matches this year, losing just six times, and admits that he has surprised even himself with his blistering form.
Malaysia's Lee won 10 titles in 2010, but Momota said: "Although I broke the record of Lee Chong Wei, I don't think I can be compared to him as a player and as a human being."
There is now only one major individual title missing from the all-action Japanese player's trophy haul - Olympic gold.
Barring injury, loss of form or more controversy, Momota will be hot favourite to rectify that on home soil in Tokyo next summer. - AFP
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