All Eyes Are on Axelsen and Momota,
But Will a Newcomer Rise Up to Surpass Them Both?

Viktor AXELSEN (Denmark)

Since September 2017, there has only been one week when the No. 1 spot in the BWF World Rankings for men’s singles has not been held by one of two extraordinarily talented players, both born in 1994.

The two dominating shuttlers are Viktor AXELSEN of Denmark, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, and Kento MOMOTA of Japan, who won a record 11 international titles in 2019 and was ranked first in the world for nearly three years straight. Although Axelsen and Momota stand as the favorites in men’s singles—where they are the first and second seeds, respectively—there are a number of younger players eager to knock them off the podium.

The Favorites: Axelsen and Momota

Kento MOMOTA (Japan)

Of the top two, Axelsen has been in better form recently. The 28-year-old did not allow himself a break even after winning the Tokyo Olympics, continuing to enter major tournaments and winning seven World Tour titles over the past year. Olympic gold seems to have given Axelsen greater confidence, for he has been steady in front of the net and is hitting more powerful attacks that are sure to devastate his opponents at the World Championships.

Momota, on the other hand, will be relying on his versatile play in the front court in hopes of reclaiming the title of world champion for the third time. Although he was unexpectedly knocked out in the group stage at the Tokyo Olympics and has not won a World Tour title since last November, Momota has vowed to “make the most of this opportunity by putting [his] all into the World Championships in Tokyo.”

Momota to Take On Newcomers in the Early Rounds

Lakshya SEN (India)

In pursuit of Axelsen and Momota are a number of shuttlers who have made a name for themselves in the year since the Tokyo Olympics. Momota shares the bottom half of the bracket with several ambitious young players.

His first major challenge is likely to come in the third round from 21-year-old Lakshya SEN of India, whose coverage of the court helped lead India to its first Thomas Cup victory in May. Even if Momota defeats Sen, he will face another difficult challenge in the quarterfinals, where his most likely opponent is newcomer LEE Zii Jia of Malaysia, winner of the 2021 All England Open. The 24-year-old’s fierce onslaughts and tight defense will not be easy to overcome.

Elsewhere in the bracket, LOH Kean Yew of Singapore, the 2021 World Champion whose ranking has skyrocketed since the Tokyo Olympics, and the No. 3-ranked Anders ANTONSEN of Denmark are likely to face each other in the quarterfinals. If Loh—arguably the nimblest shuttler in the world—beats Antonsen to advance to the semifinals, Momota will have to find a way to stop him in his tracks.

Veterans Keen to Defeat Axelsen

Anthony Sinisuka GINTING (Indonesia)

Meanwhile, a group of seasoned players will be battling it out in the upper pool, where Axelsen has been placed.

Axelsen is likely to face Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Anthony Sinisuka GINTING of Indonesia in the quarterfinals. Ginting seems to be a magnet for the shuttlecock, which may help him withstand Axelsen’s hard-hitting shots and set him on the path to victory.

The fourth seed, 32-year-old CHOU Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, will be hoping that his strikes, which are as powerful as ever, will earn him his first world championship title. However, Chou will need to defeat fellow attacker Jonatan CHRISTIE of Indonesia in the quarterfinals if he wants to win a medal.

Momota will be joined in the tournament by three other shuttlers from Japan. Kanta TSUNEYAMA, a member of the Japanese delegation at the Tokyo Olympics, Kenta NISHIMOTO, who took bronze at the 2018 Asian Games, and Kodai NARAOKA, who is poised to become Japan’s next ace, will have the enthusiastic cheers of their Japanese fans driving them to win each and every match.