Tokyo 2020: Upset for hosts as World No. 1 badminton player Kento Momota crashes out

In what turned out to be an upset for hosts Japan, World No. 1 badminton player Kento Momota crashed out of group stage in men's singles event on Wednesday in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Unseeded Heo Kwang-hee of South Korea defeated Momota 21-15, 21-19, ending the local favourite's bid for the gold medal after just two games in the singles event. Momota's elimination has joined the growing-list of Japan's upsets in the underway Summer Olympics after early exits of high-profile Japanese athletes such as tennis star Naomi Osaka and Gymnast Kohei Uchimura.

Momota faced tough situations before qualifying for the Tokyo Games. He almost quit badminton after surviving a serious car accident last year. Coming into his home Olympics, Momota was favourites to win the singles gold medal but instead, he never looked settled right from the first game.

In the second game as well, on Wednesday, Momota was beaten quite a few times by Heo's well calculated smashes, while he failed to retaliate with his own.

The 26-year-old badminton star, who was involved in an illegal gambling scandal months before the Rio Games in 2016, and was banned by the Nippon Badminton Association, has had several setbacks ahead of the Tokyo Olympics as well, including contracting the COVID-19.