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World number one Kento Momota was stunned by South Korea’s number 38 Heo Kwang-hee on Wednesday, losing 15-21, 19-21 and looking visibly dejected with every point lost.
Returning child from badminton, Momota, faced enormous obstacles to make it to the Tokyo Olympics – including serious injuries in a car crash – and had to win the match.
Instead, he struggled to keep his head above water in Game 1, repeatedly overwhelmed by Heo’s sharply tilted smashes and unable to retaliate with his own.
Earlier, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen – who is one place below Momota – crushed Finland’s Kalle Koljonen 21-9, 21-13 with vicious shots that weighed his frame nearly two meters behind them.
World number three Chou Tien-Chen has been neck and neck for over an hour with Canadian Brian Yang, who ranks 44th in another nearly upset. The match ended 21-18, 16-21, 22-20 for an exhausted Chou, who rallied to the resounding applause of his team in the stands.
Chou’s teammate Tai Tzu Ying had a smoother day in women’s singles, reminding the world why she’s number one as she struggled to compete with Frenchwoman Qi Xuefei in their 25-minute meeting.
Tai, who beat Qi 21-10, 21-13, got off to a rocky start at the Tokyo Olympics, taking longer to fend off two extremely inferior opponents earlier in the Games.
“This is my first time in the top eight at the Olympics,” Tai said after the game. “Now the most important thing is to prepare. “
India’s famous PV Sindhu – the badminton crazed country’s best chance to win a gold this year and a silver medalist in Rio – slid Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi onto his stomach during his first game before beating her 21-9. Cheung gave Sindhu more trouble in Game 2 – almost keeping pace with her – and many points Sindhu conceded were taken because she landed the shuttle over the bounds. Sindhu managed to win the second game 21-16.
In the mixed doubles quarter-finals, world number one team Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong got off to a good start and defeated number four duo Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti, finishing them at 21-17, 21- 15.
Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino clashed with Thais Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai in a close match that lasted over an hour, and ultimately went to the former duo 15-21, 21-16, 21- 14.
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