Kento Momota, Japan’s most dominant men’s singles badminton player of the modern era, experienced one of the most dramatic careers in the sport’s history. From junior world-beater to World No. 1, from scandal and near-death accident to an emotional retirement, here is the complete Kento Momota career timeline – every major milestone that defined the life of the left-handed legend.
1994-2006: The Beginning in Kagawa
- September 1, 1994 – Born in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
- 2001 (age 7) – Starts playing badminton after watching his older sister
- 2006 – Wins the All Japan Elementary School Championships (singles & doubles)
2007-2012: Unbeatable Junior Years
- 2007-2009 – Sweeps All-Japan Junior High School titles every year
- 2011 – Enters Fukushima Prefectural Tomioka High School; wins Inter-High singles title
- 2012 – Wins the Asian Junior Championships
- October 2012 – Crowned BWF World Junior Champion in Chiba, Japan (defeats Xue Song 21-17, 19-21, 21-19)
- December 2012 – Joins NTT East Badminton Club as a professional
2013-2015: Rapid Rise on the Senior Circuit
- 2013 – Debuts on the BWF World Tour; reaches Japan Open quarter-finals
- May 2014 – Helps Japan win its first-ever Thomas Cup (goes 5-0 in the tournament)
- 2015 – Wins Singapore Open (Super Series) – his first Super Series title
- November 2015 – Claims three consecutive titles: China Open, Japan Open, and Denmark Open
2016: The Gambling Scandal & One-Year Ban
- April 2016 – Suspended indefinitely by NTT East and the Japanese Association for illegal gambling
- May 2016 – Officially banned for one year; misses Rio 2016 Olympics
- 2016-2017 – Trains in isolation, loses sponsorships, and drops out of world rankings
2017-2018: The Greatest Comeback in Badminton History
- June 2017 – Returns at Canada Open; wins on debut after 449-day absence
- 2018 – Wins 6 titles including Indonesia Open, World Championships (defeats Shi Yuqi 21-11, 21-13)
- August 21, 2018 – Becomes the first Japanese men’s singles player to reach World No. 1 (BWF Ranking)
2019: The Record-Breaking Year
- March 2019 – Wins All England Open (first Japanese man in 120 years)
- April 2019 – Wins Asia Championships (back-to-back 2018-2019)
- August 2019 – Defends World Championships title in Basel (beats Anders Antonsen 21-9, 21-3)
- 2019 Season – Wins an unprecedented 11 BWF World Tour titles (Guinness World Record)
- December 2019 – Named BWF Male Player of the Year
2020: Life-Changing Car Accident
- January 13, 2020 – Hours after winning Malaysia Masters, involved in fatal highway crash in Kuala Lumpur
- Injuries – Broken nose, fractured orbital socket, lacerations requiring surgery
- Consequences – Double vision and depth-perception issues that never fully resolved
2021-2023: Struggles and Resilience
- 2021 – Returns after 13 months; shock group-stage exit at Tokyo 2020 Olympics
- 2022 – Drops out of Top 10 for the first time since 2017
- September 2023 – Wins first title in 3 years (Korea Open) – emotional comeback moment
2024-2025: Farewell and New Chapter
- April 4, 2024 – Announces retirement from Japan national team after Thomas Cup
- May 2024 – Plays final Thomas Cup; Japan finishes runner-up
- December 2024 – Wins last professional match in Japan’s S/J League
- February 2025 – Officially retires from all competitive play at age 30
- April 2025 – Begins full-time coaching role with NTT East
- November 2025 – Serves as expert commentator at BWF World Championships in Paris and conducts nationwide junior clinics
Career Statistics at Retirement (as of Feb 2025)
- BWF World Tour titles: 27
- World Championships: 2 gold (2018, 2019)
- All England Open: 1 (2019)
- Weeks at World No. 1: 161 weeks (longest by any Japanese player ever)
- Head-to-head vs Viktor Axelsen: 14-4
- Career prize money: ≈ $1.8 million USD
- Estimated net worth 2025: $6-8 million (including endorsements)
Legacy in One Sentence
Kento Momota went from untouchable World No. 1 who won everything in 2019 to a warrior who fought vision problems for five years just to stay on court – and still retired as Japan’s greatest men’s singles player of all time.
Whether you remember him for the 11-title season, the tearful comeback, or the quiet bow at the Thomas Cup, Momota’s timeline proves that greatness isn’t measured only by trophies, but by how many times you stand up after life knocks you down.
Which moment in Momota’s career timeline moved you the most? Drop it in the comments!
Fans who want to see the human side of Momota beyond the court can head over to Lifestyle & Personal, where his routines, personality, and off-court life are explored
