Speed Post News Network
Patna : World No 1 in Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings and reigning World Champion Kento Momota, 24, Japan, will play World No 20 Anders Antonsen, 21, Denmark, in the final of Daihatsu Indonesia Masters, a World Tour Super 500 event, at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 27, 2019. Momota leads Antonsen 3-0 head to head.
Top seed Momota crushed World No 6 Viktor Axelsen, 25, Denmark, 21-15, 21-4 in the semi-finals in 30 minutes on January 26, 2019, to enter the final of the tournament. Momota won 42 rallies in the match to 19 by Axelsen, the 2017 World Champion. Momota won 12 consecutive points in the match to 5 by Axelsen, a former World No 1. Momota now leads Axelsen 10-2 head to head.
Antonsen beat World No 12 and 2018 Asian Games Gold Medallist Jonatan Christie, 21, 21-18, 21-16 in the semi-finals to sail into the final of Indonesia Masters. Antonsen won 42 rallies to 34 by Christie. Antonsen won 7 consecutive points to 3 by Christie. It was their first meeting on the tour.
In the women’s section, reigning Olympic and World Champion Carolina Marin, 25, Spain, entered the final defeating World No 5 Chen Yufei, China, in a three-game thriller 17-21, 21-11, 23-21 in the semi-finals in 66 minutes. Carolina won 61 rallies in the match to 53 by Yufei. She won 7 consecutive points while Yufei won 6. Carolina now leads Yufei 3-1 head to head. Carolina will clash with World No 9 Saina Nehwal, 28, India, in the final. Carolina leads Saina 6-5 head to head.