Kento Momota is a Japanese badminton player who was involved in a car accident in late 2019 on his way back to the airport after winning the Malaysian Open. The driver of the car died, but Momota survived. After returning to Japan, he had problems seeing with his right eye and further examination revealed a broken eye socket, which required surgery. He made a comeback in December 2020 at the All Japans, which he won. However, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he lost his second match and has not been quite the same since. His last title dates back to the Indonesia Masters in November 2021. In late August 2022, he crashed out in the second round of the BWF World Championships in Tokyo. In September 2023, he pulled out of the Asian Games due to injuries sustained in the car crash three years ago that killed his driver. His world ranking has tumbled to 48 after a series of disappointing performances and injuries.