Momota survives a nasty road accident
Kento Momota, the world's hottest badminton property survived a nasty road accident while on his way to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) early Monday (Jan 13) morning.
However, the 26-year-old world No 1 reportedly suffered a broken nose, a fractured cheekbone, had stitches to his lips apart from facial lacerations due to the accident.
The coach in which Momota was traveling with several others crashed into the back of a 30-tonne lorry along the Maju Expressway (MEX) at around 4.45 am.
The driver of the vehicle identified as N. Bavan was killed on the spot.
Japan's assistant coach Yu Hirayama, team physiotherapist Akufumi Morimoto, and Badminton World Federation (BWF) technical official William Thomas were also in the coach.
Hours earlier on Sunday, Momota won his first-ever title on Malaysian soil when he beat Denmark's former world champion Viktor Axelsen 24-22, 21-11 in the final at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Japan's Malaysian coach Tan Kim Her said Momota has withdrawn from the USD400,000 Daihatsu Indonesia Masters which begins in Jakarta on Tuesday (Jan 14).
He was the top seed and was drawn to meet compatriot Kanta Tsuneyama in the first round.
Winning the Perodua Malaysia Masters was Momota's first this year in the season's opening world tour event.
Last year he won a record 11 titles including the season-ending World Tour in Guangzhou, China in December.
Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, together with Badminton Association (BAM) president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria, BAM secretary Datuk Kenny Goh and National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail were among those who visited the victims at the Putrajaya Hospital.
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