Wuhan, China, November 1, 2026: Former world No. 1 Kento Momota proved he remains a formidable competitor by winning the 2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup men’s singles championship on Sunday, recovering from a game down to defeat China’s Wang Zhengxing 13-15, 15-6, 15-13 in a closely contested final.
The 32-year-old Japanese badminton star overcame his 24-year-old opponent in three games to claim the RMB 200,000 (approximately US$28,000) championship prize, completing an impressive tournament run that began in the round of 64.
Momota’s victory was particularly notable given his departure from the international badminton circuit in 2024. The two-time world champion showed that he can still compete successfully against accomplished Chinese players despite no longer participating regularly in BWF World Tour events.
Kento Momota Comes From Behind to Defeat Wang Zhengxing
The men’s singles final brought together two players from different generations: Momota, one of the most successful badminton players of his era, and Wang Zhengxing, a former Chinese national team player who reached the 2025 China Open final.
Wang made the stronger start, winning a closely contested opening game 15-13 to move within one game of the championship.
Momota responded decisively in the second game, taking it 15-6 to level the match and force a decider.
The third game proved considerably closer, with neither player able to secure a comfortable margin. Momota eventually prevailed 15-13, completing his comeback and securing the Wuhan title.
The deciding game also featured an unfortunate moment for Wang when his racket strings broke during a crucial point. Although he changed rackets and continued competing, the incident added another twist to an already close contest.
Momota ultimately held his nerve to complete the 13-15, 15-6, 15-13 victory.
For Wang, the runner-up finish was another significant result in a competition featuring former international players and leading competitors from China’s domestic badminton circuit.
Watch Highlights: Kento Momota vs. Wang Zhengxing – 2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup Final
Video source: 葡萄羽球
Momota Defeats Liu Zeqing in Wuhan Lin Dan Cup Quarterfinals
Momota’s route to the championship included a quarterfinal meeting with China’s Liu Zeqing, a player associated with the Sichuan provincial badminton team.
Liu had previously attracted attention by defeating Indonesian badminton star Anthony Sinisuka Ginting at the Xi’an edition of the Lin Dan Cup.
His meeting with Momota provided another challenging test for the Japanese former world champion, who advanced to the semifinals.
The result kept Momota’s championship ambitions alive as the tournament approached its final day.
Watch Highlights: Kento Momota vs. Liu Zeqing – 2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup Quarterfinal
Video source: 葡萄羽球
Kento Momota Overcomes Chen Wenjie to Reach Final
In the semifinals, Momota faced another Chinese opponent, Chen Wenjie, a player from the Guangdong provincial badminton team.
Chen was among the eight quarterfinalists in Wuhan, alongside former Chinese national team players and experienced domestic competitors.
Momota defeated Chen to secure his place in Sunday’s championship match against Wang Zhengxing.
Having already navigated several rounds against Chinese opposition, the Japanese star entered the final with an opportunity to complete an unexpected title-winning campaign.
Watch Highlights: Kento Momota vs. Chen Wenjie – 2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup Semifinal
Video source: 葡萄羽球
Different Scoring Format Adds Challenge to Lin Dan Cup
One of the distinctive features of the Wuhan Lin Dan Cup was its scoring format, which differed from the standard BWF World Tour system.
From the round of 64 through the semifinals, the men’s singles competition used a single-game format played to 31 points.
However, the championship match switched to a best-of-three format, with each game played to 15 points.
The change required finalists to adjust to a different scoring structure after progressing through the earlier knockout rounds.
For Momota, the final presented an additional challenge when Wang claimed the opening game 15-13.
Unlike the earlier rounds, however, the championship format allowed the Japanese player to recover from losing a game.
He took full advantage, winning the next two games 15-6 and 15-13 to complete his comeback.
Former World No. 1 Momota Shows He Can Still Compete
Momota’s championship represents another noteworthy chapter in his badminton career.
The Japanese star dominated international men’s singles during his peak years, winning consecutive world championships in 2018 and 2019 and reaching the top of the BWF world rankings.
He also enjoyed a record-breaking 2019 season, capturing 11 international titles.
After stepping away from international competition in 2024, Momota has continued to participate in selected badminton events.
His Wuhan Lin Dan Cup appearance brought him into competition with players from China’s professional and domestic badminton systems.
Winning the championship after progressing from the round of 64 demonstrated that the former world No. 1 remains capable of producing strong results in competitive tournaments.
While the Lin Dan Cup is not part of the BWF World Tour, its open format allows former international players, provincial competitors and accomplished amateur players to compete against one another.
That combination has helped the event attract attention from badminton fans in China and internationally.
Kento Momota Claims RMB 200,000 Championship Prize
By winning the men’s singles title, Momota collected the RMB 200,000 championship prize offered at the Wuhan tournament.
His victory came against a field that included five-time Lin Dan Cup champion Zhao Junpeng, Wang Zhengxing, Chen Wenjie and several other established Chinese competitors.
For Momota, the title provides another achievement beyond his years on the international circuit.
For badminton fans, his victory offers a reminder of the qualities that made him one of the sport’s leading men’s singles players.
And for Wang Zhengxing, the narrow three-game defeat represents another valuable experience against a former world champion.
Complete Tournament Results
2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup – Men’s Singles Final
Kento Momota (Japan) defeated Wang Zhengxing (China), 13-15, 15-6, 15-13.
2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup – Men’s Singles Semifinal
Kento Momota (Japan) defeated Chen Wenjie (China). Final score not provided in the supplied report.
2026 Wuhan Lin Dan Cup – Men’s Singles Quarterfinal
Kento Momota (Japan) defeated Liu Zeqing (China). Final score not provided in the supplied report.
