Top seed Kento Momota crashed out of the Badminton Asia Championships 2022 on a tame note in his opening match, as he fell to Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo.
The 2018 and 2019 champion started well taking the opening game, but after Wardoyo levelled the score, the top seed fell behind early and never recovered, with the Indonesian taking the match 17-21 21-17 21-7.
Indonesia had more cause for cheer as Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti/Ribka Sugiarto overcame third seeds Kim So Yeong/Kong Hee Yong, 21-17 20-22 21-11.
Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanit (left) and Ribka Sugiarto.
Another prominent casualty in the opening round was fifth seed Lakshya Sen. The All England runner-up faced his contemporary from his junior years, Li Shi Feng, and was edged out in a thrilling third game, 12-21 21-10 21-19.
Okuhara Retires
Third seed Nozomi Okuhara retired in her first round match against Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar. Thet had taken the opening game 21-18 before Okuhara called it quits.
In the same quarter, India’s Malvika Bansod gave a good account of her fighting qualities in perhaps the most thrilling match of the day, against Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min.
Yeo led 19-11 in the third before Bansod staged a remarkable comeback, with nine straight points taking her to match point. However, the Singaporean stayed in the contest, and converted her own fourth opportunity for a 9-21 21-17 26-24 victory.
Chen/Jia Avenge Defeat
Chen QIng Chen and Jia Yi Fan.
Women’s doubles world champions Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan avenged their opening round loss at the All England to Jeong Na Eun/Kim Hye Jeong, taking today’s match in straight games, 21-12 21-19.
The top seeds next face Malaysia’s Anna Ching Yik Cheong/Teoh Mei Xing, while in the same quarter, fifth seeds Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida take on Hong Kong China’s Ng Tsz Yau/Tsang Hiu Yan.
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