At his best, Kento Momota seemed untouchable. His calmness, his control, the way he carried himself – it drew you in. Watching him, you didn’t just see a champion. You saw someone in complete command of his art.
So, to see Momota at the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2025, headset on, leaning over the commentary desk in the media tribune instead of striding onto court, racket bag in tow, felt a little strange. The Adidas Arena, which only a year ago staged the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was the backdrop for his new chapter in badminton.
Momota’s career is almost impossible to sum up neatly. Two World Championships gold medals, two Asian titles, an All England crown, three Sudirman Cup silver medals and world No.1 for more than two years. In 2019, he won 11 titles in a season, a record unlikely to be matched in the near future.
Momota retired from international competition in May last year at the TotalEnergies BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2024 in Chengdu. In the year since, he has taken up coaching. At the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2025, he made his foray into commentating. In person, his demeanour is unchanged. Polite, softly spoken and generous with his time.
Asked about his new role, he said: “It was my first time doing this and I was so nervous.
“It was quite tough to think what I should ask them post-match. It was funny to be nervous in front of them,” he added after interviewing Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi following their quarterfinal loss to Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen.
“I didn’t do any research but a media colleague did so I used that information.”

The offer to commentate, the charismatic Japanese said, was easy to accept.
“I love playing badminton and I love watching badminton. When I received their offer I was so excited. I just said yes.”
Still, the pull of competition hasn’t vanished.
“Watching the World Championships, I wished I was still playing. Not at a particular tournament, but it felt like ‘Oh yes, I want to play badminton’.”
Since retiring, Momota has devoted himself to passing on the sport to the next generation. He has been coaching juniors and sharing lessons he learned from competing.
On his highlight of the week, the 31-year-old said: “My interview with Hoki and Kobayashi was fun. They are only a year younger so I got some inspiration from them.”
Momota once carried the hopes of a nation. Now he carries stories. Quietly, thoughtfully and with the same grace he showed on court. That, in its own way, feels like a victory.
