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#4 Kento Momota
The Asian champion this year, Momota has taken the men’s division by storm. Coming back into the sport after missing for a while due to a ban by his country’s badminton association, the ace Japanese shuttler has shown the ability to take on the best players in the men’s division and come out victorious.
What greatly works in Momota’s favour is the fact that he seems to have the upper hand on the defending champion, Viktor Axelsen. In the final of the Indonesia Open, the 23-year-old completely outclassed the 2017 champion and extended his winning streak.
In fact, it’s been years since Axelsen defeated him and their head-to-head record is greatly in favour of the Japanese.
A fit player with a deadly cross-court smash, Momota has the momentum behind him. Only time will tell if this would be his year and he would clinch the World Championships title as well.
