Mulheim: Kento Momota’s momentum at the 2023 German Open was halted by World No. 20 Li Shi Feng of China when the former World No. 1 from Japan lost the semi-final to Li 11-21, 7-21.
Highlights of Kento Momota vs. Li Shi Feng in the 2023 German Open semi-finals:
Prior to Saturday’s semi-final, Momota who defeated World No. 13 Shi Yuqi in the first round, seemed to slowly regain his old form especially when he put on a strong fighting spirit to come back from 1 set down to beat compatriot Kenta Nishimoto in the quarter-finals. However, he got off to a slow start on Saturday when Li Shifeng quickly opened up a 6-1 lead in the first game. After the interval, Li suddenly upped his tempo to make a 10 to 3 run and finally won the game with 21-11
Perhaps Momota was too tired coming off the 3-setter in the quarter-finals, he was slow in returning Li’s shot, made a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes, and had no answers to Li Shifeng’s overhead smashes in the second game. Li didn’t waste time to wrap up the game 21-7. The 23-year-old from China will play Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong in the final.
Ng, on the other hand, overcame compatriot Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-14, 14-21, 21-15 in another semi-final.
In women’s singles, it took World No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi 43 minutes to beat Chen Yufei 21-18, 21-16 to set up a final encounter with An Se Young.
In addition to An Se Young, Korea has three other representatives in three other finals.
Choi Sol Gyu/Kim Won Ho will set up an all-Korean men’s doubles final with compatriots Kang Min Hyuk/Seo Seung Jae; Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee will meet No. 1 seeds Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida in the women’s doubles final while Kim Won Ho/Jeong Na Eun will battle Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping of China in the mixed doubles final.
