The last part of the conclusion is what many of my coaches thought Momota had lost after the accident, the mental aspect. They believe Momota’s Tokyo group round exit in front of his home crowd had crushed his confidence and he was never able to recover. Momota’s head coach had said nothing wrong with him physically, Momota himself had said nothing wrong with him physically (though his fans will make excuses for him). Momota seems to have lost the belief that he can drag it out and beat anybody. Tai has winning record against all of her contemporaries, some of them overwhelmingly, but in the biggest games like the WC or OG, in tight games she will somehow lose her composure. Mental aspect of the game isn’t frequently talked about at amateur level but it’s vital at elite level.
@@Phat-rj3jo Actually that is not true, it has nothing to do with mentality or confidence. After his retirement he said it himself in an interview that he is still suffering from double vision and his back injury is preventing him from moving as before. He kept this a secret because he did not want to let his opponent know about this but decided to talk about it after his retirement.
Because he rarely make any risky short like cross court smash and most of the time he going to make straight shot and neutralise the shuttle. Ginting once decode momota strategy in 2018 China Open. Starting 2019 momota start to inject more high pace and more cross court smash. His overhead straight smash still the most deadliest and accurate during his prime.
Look at Momota's footwork man. I have never seen anyone with that footwork. Along with the shot quality, changing pace, body balance, prediction of opponent shots and movements, he was indestructible, immovable and a true champion during his prime. Tragedy stuck him else he would have been Olympic champion twice by now.
Tbh Lin Dan one was even more superior than momota. The way he injected his pace when he was young was just crazy, after 2012 he play a longer rally but still personally I think that he has much better footwork than momota. Top 3 best footwork I personally think Chen long. Lindan and momota . Lcw relies on his speed while still having very good footwork too, but not better than few of them
Hard to say that Momota will win two Olympic golds. If the misfortune did not befall him, it is reasonable to assume that Momota should be able to maintain his 2018/19 top form until now, if not having improved even further. If prime Momota were present, the recent Olympic final in Paris would have been way more interesting, as well as the supposed semi-final encounter between Axelsen and Momota in Tokyo Olympics. The psychological advantage Momota had on Axelsen was huge (very one-sided h2h) and Axelsen would have a mountain to climb en route to his two Olympic golds. Momota also read Axelsen like a book. On the other hand, you shouldn't take credit away from Axelsen for his hard work, improvement and dominance since Tokyo Olympics. Upsets also happen in big tournaments so it's no guarantee that Momota would have won two consecutive Olympics golds, or even reached an Olympic final in the first place. Momota was defeated convincingly by Heo Kwang Hee in the group stage of the Tokyo Olympics. (I think 2018/19 Momota would have beat Heo without any issues, but you never know if the pressure would still have gotten to him.) Momota got knocked out by Ginting in the 2018 Asian Games when he was favored to win it after being crowned World Champion a month prior.
@@seigakufuji Yes sure, huge respect for all international players. I know how difficult it is to play on that level and win. Still I personally really feel Momota would have had high chances for Gold in Olympics.
Momota had everyone in a chokehold the moment he stepped on the court. He’s still having that same effect despite being retired for over a year now. Although Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei might be legends, Momota’s performance was so dominant. It’s such a regrettable what if in badminton history.
@@ammarharith5512 They are but have you seen Momota's performance? It's a near perfect win rate. LD and LCW are much better remembered for their rivalry; their dominance comes as an added bonus. But Momota is dominant and that's what makes him legendary.
LD was the defintion of dominant and he did it in much tougher era lol. we're talking about 2x olympic gold medalist, 5x WC gold medalist, 2x asian games gold medalis, 6x all england champion here
Not forgetting Momota's solid defense. He could successfully return shots that should have been clear winners leaving a psychological plague on his opponents. The only other player who consistently played at that level of defense was LCW
@@langsz facts man, Chen Long is a real hidden gem, ive not seen him play much but its unfortunate his talent and abilities were initially shadowed by LCW and LD legendary rivalry and later on shadowed by his older age.
I was great seeing momota at the end playing I think the Thomas cup and winning all three matches. He seemed to be enjoying his badminton and coming back from the deficit he had against kidambi was I hope a huge highlight for him. He will always be a great champion and player. One no one should forget.
in my opinion that 2020 momota at malaysia master has the smoothest and most efficient footwork ever and still momota had that defence to counter prime axelsen
The older I get, the more I appreciate prime Momota. The beginning of his prime was taken away due to his own fault (gambling) but he was just unbeatable until his car accident. He just played so smart.
@@HolgerDanske874 VA is bless that all his major title coincide with tragedy struck on KM career. He should thank god for that. A Momota that is able to improve from his 2019 form is a nightmare for every player. No matter which prime VA we talk about. KM just need to push the game pass the 1 hour mark, and VA will be mentally and physically exhausted.
@@HolgerDanske874 design to run with his opponent , except Kento Momota or once a blue moon SYQ. Base on evidence at hand , I can extrapolate that a prime Momota can play till 2 hrs of intense badminton .
great analysis! I also noticed, prime momota used to be very offensive at the net. He come to the net very quickly in order to do spin shots (control the net) or quick lift (which could pass Axelsen and make him hard to get a high and comfortable position to smash). Momota also tends to do inject a slight pause every time when he get chance at net, which make Axelsen even harder to response when he is worn out.
People talk like “oh but viktor has improved so much” yeah but have you thought about if viktor can improve so can momota? And momota don’t have to improve or change near as much as viktor to beat him because his game and form inherently counters viktor. Just a rough example, If viktor improve by 10, momota only have to improve by 5 to beat him. It’s like some people need to practice 10 hours to be good at something, and someone else only need 3, because they have inherent talent or body. Its not the same.
Because Viktor’s improvement is a cold-hard fact while momota’s is… well, an assumption as best. In the latest olympic, we did see a crazily good Kunlavut, who played a lot like Momota, wiped the floor with shi yuqi and Lee Zii Jia and yet, could not do shit to Viktor in the final. It proved that Viktor has learned so much from his losts and successfully developed counter strategies against these type of players!
Also if victor was not the best form.. but he won all through the final to lost to momota.. not thr top form but ha jas won all player except motora.. ?? Now there is no momota thats why victor is on the top form?? Except it.. lost is lost.. no excuse..
@@khoidang74but kunlavut is not momota 😂 they r difference...we r saying momota ll improve like alaxsan...kunaut was playing like momota but not improve momota 😂
Great video - and some good reasons. One caveat though is, that as you can see in this video - Axelsen's current psychical form is much much better than it was earlier. Not sure how prime momota would do against prime axelsen, it's such a shame we will never see it. But Momota definitely knew how to play against Axelsen (and everyone else, he was unbeatable in his prime).
Viktor got into a better shape after his 2020 ankle surgery. And also Viktor has a better record against Shi, Momota was only 6-6. Even in his prime Momota said his most feared opponent was Shi. So there is also an element of some players just play specific players well. With all that said yeah it’s too bad we will never see 2019 Momota vs a 2021 Axelsen.
@@leedahye25 the point is some players just plays specific players better than others. For whatever reason Axelsen is better at playing against Shi than Momota. And if we are talking about results, Axelsen has two Olympic gold and Momota has zero.
@@Phat-rj3jo bruh why are you counting matches after momota accident,it was mmt 4-2 shi yuqi before that car crash and momota lost both of those because of himself,not shi yu qi.mmt lost to shi yu qi in 2018 was because of mmt fighted hard all year and was just too tired he even confirmed that in an interview.Same case with sudirman cup 2019 when he has fewer rest time than shi.I remember that shi yu qi played 1 match less than momota in that sudirman cup and for the final,china team had over 1 days to recover while it were just 16 hours for japan team,i played badminton for years and clearly understand that 16hours isnt enough for like 70% recover
yes. ONLY Axelsen will improve (In this world) as he grows older while dementia will consume Momota which result him completely forgetting what is badminton
I loved this video. You did a very well job analysing momota´s play style against axelsen. I really miss momota prime, for me he represents the perfection in badminton
You hardly ever come across badminton videos with a thorough analysis of players and their strengths and weaknesses. So this video was very interesting to watch. Very welll done. Momota during his peak years has always been my favorite, together with LCW. But I love all the other great players as well!
For me, Momota had two main weapons - (unbelievably) consistent accuracy and left hander shuttle trajectory. The second is very similar to Lin Dan and is one of the reasons LCW was a fraction slower against LD, compared to most others. We can't see it from the TV but the shuttle path and trajectory really counts. Axelsen has definitely improved since 2020 and its really unfortunate that we can no longer see Momota play. I think their rivalry on court would have been very interesting.
Title looked clickbait-y but this is very good analysis and insight. People already forgot what "prime" Momota played like. So many people believed he plays defensively because they only know him after the accident. Maybe that one final with Axelsen before the accident when he had been playing so much and had no energy left. Momota was relentless. He put on pressure constantly and while he had good defense and was not afraid to lift, he rarely lifted high (and rarely had to because he was so good at dictating the rallies). The issue with badminton fans is that they all think each player specialise in something. Lin Dan in attack, Lee Chong Wei in defense and that transposes to Axelsen in attack, Momota in defense. That's not how it is. All 4 players have the best attack and the best defense in their era. If anything, Viktor Axelsen and Chen Long don't look as fast as the rest because their reaches are longer.
Beautifully put together. You're spot on, Motoma was really the player destined to humble Axelsen with the style of play forcing him to work on his weaknesses.
Momota was just born to play badminton...I have never seen such passion to play badminton as him, he always looked like enjoying the game...nothing specific, he really worked very hard for this but I'll say that he was gifted with this talent❤
Brother you have given a superb explanation i really like that and i last video you made about Momota playing style that helps me a lot and i dont think so that the present player can beat him
not only that he has crazy stamina but also his consistency maintaining his proper form where even in long rallies he still can perform the same movements unlike other players who slouches when the rally is longer than they anticipated
Consistently playing with high quality shot is the key to win against most players. That's how LD beat LCW too. Even though LCW was one of the most skilled and athletic badminton players ever.
that variable strokeplay infused with drops , smash , fast footwork , defense , netplay , pace change that lcw and momota possessed were a nail in coffin for axelsen , because even lin dan , chen long could not dominate axelsen fully before axelsen rose up through the ranks with experience but momota was something else
My thoughts about this video almost got what I think too : which one of us gets tired first, and then take the rest of the energy to use full power to the tired player.
Could you please do a video on the two-time and reigning Olympic champions, Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang? Many say they have disappeared in between the Olympics, but having followed them since Tokyo, I think they often brought out their A game. It's just that men's doubles is such an even field. During the Olympics, however, they did bring out their A+++ game. Winning two consecutive Olympic golds unseeded is a terrific feat, and I don't think their achievements will be surpassed any time soon.
I think that the domination from Momota reshaped Axelsen game, pushing him to improve to survive (physically, improve long rallies, footwork). He had to work very hard on all of his weaknesses as they were constantly thrown into his face by Kento. When he finally got near that level, Momota disappeared and Axelsen was left there alone, now when not injured he just dominates.
Momota's calm and collective playstyle while retaining inctedible shot quality is what makes him so great. He is so chill on the court whilst also being so good at hitting precise shots. I would argue that he is a legend in badminton. He was too dominant not to be one.
Axelsen fans must accept that Kento is better than Axelsen. If you can see that Axelsen is losing 3 match against Prannoy in his peak era. The other example is kunlavut when he beat Axelsen in India Open 2023. Their game is really similar with Kento prime. In my analysis that Axelsen is really struggling with player who can control the pace and playing no lob shuttle and Kento really knows Axelsen weakness and taking advantage on the game
You only have to look at the physical stature of Axelsen back then, even his cheeks, and then notice at how he looks today. He's much more fit now. He was also going through loads of injuries during this time.
@@Tshering-lf9oc Momota, like pretty much all Japanese Badminton players, are more or less one dimensional. Malaysia Open final in 22 was an execution.
@@Hammerhook12 ohh u DNT have knowledge of japanese Player....momota was known as a defensive intelligent skill player to beat anyone by reading their games .. todays player can't beat Viktor because they don't have what momota has ... momota was , 14-0 against Viktor
@@Hammerhook12 If you think momota was unidimensional then you have no idea about racquet sports in general and badminton in particular. Momota was as complete a badminton player as one can aspire to be. He virtually had no weakness at all. That's why it was a big struggle for everyone else to beat him, let alone Victor, since there was no weakness they could exploit. Kento Momota had the gold standard of a perfectly successful and a replicable badminton model. His records prior to the accident speak for himself. Victor is reigning supreme now because there's no Momota-like player to counter him. Even now a much improved Victor is a no match for the all-round abilities of Momota, he simply doesn't have the total package of consistent badminton that Momota had. As simple as that.
@@326gundu Momota could run Viktor down, No none can do that anymore. The playbook of defeating Viktor nowadays doesn't even include any of Momota's strengths with his lack of powerful attack. Kunlavut Vitidsarn is basically a right handed Momota - that's how he performed at the Olympics - But in the final against Viktor, he pretty much got smashed.
Momota's game play is like constitution of badminton. Today, if someone replicate momota's gameplay he/she can defeat any opponent in current world badminton circuit.
can't deny the fact Momota owns Axelsen before the accident , but cannot ignore the fact that Axelsen slowly reaches his prime after 2020 as well . Very tough call for prime Momota VS. prime Axelsen
Perfect video for showing that height is NOT an advantage. There is a reason only a few % of people over 6'2 have ever been number one, or won Olympic gold. Being tall is a disadvantage, not an advantage. History proves me right.
Yes, better angles, but also by using your reach to cut off shots early. Did a video on how Axelsen uses his height and will have another one coming out soon too :) th-cam.com/video/4JG8lpEOptg/w-d-xo.html
VA is bless that all his major title coincide with tragedy struck on KM career. He should thank god for that. A Momota that is able to improve from his 2019 form is a nightmare for every player. No matter which prime VA we talk about. KM just need to push the game pass the 1 hour mark, and VA will be mentally and physically exhausted.
Momota was one of the most complete players of the modern era and a player I loved to watch in action. He lacked for nothing except better luck off the court. His movement and shots were so precise it must have been absolutely terrifying to face this man in 2018-19. It would be wrong to say he moved around the court with a certain swagger, he's strikes me as far too modest for such a thing, instead it was his almost machine-like smoothness and consistency that just convinced opponents that, against this man, they were playing for second right from the start.
He didn't have a forceful attack and was quit boring generally in his play style. The Version of Viktor in 22 would've defeated him quite easily. it was all about stepping a meter further to the front court
@@leenpels7646 I have to disagree. Having a big attack is invaluable in doubles but in singles I would place a higher value on mobility, economy of movement and consistency. Having a big attack comes into its own when a player can get fully behind the shuttle to deliver the full power and control of their shot but if, instead, they are chasing shadows all over the court it becomes incredibly difficult to apply the coup de grace.
Probably just my english but when you said Prime Momota it makes it seem like he is much older than Viktor :D Probably makes more sense to say "Pre-injured Momota" But great video, thanks!
@@HolgerDanske874 Did Viktor have a car accidents which killed the driver and caused Momota to have permanent eye and back issue? Why does have long time someone is injured have anything to do with if they are able to recover or not? It is the severity of an injury which is the determine factor.
@@AAA-ot9lb You're just making stuff up. Momota had eye surgery and only needed 3 months of rest. After the surgery his eye sight was perfect and nothing was wrong with him physically.
Prannoy is someone who used to do this effectively aswell but not to Momota's level.Prannoy used to just return everything making Axelsen to do a mistake
I looked at some male badminton players weights recently on wikipedia, and Axelsen may not be that heavy for his height. Sure, wikipedia is far from the most reliable source in that domain, but all badminton platers' weights I have seen were around 70-80kg. I mean, look Axelsen, he is very thin, I wouldnt be surprised if he was under 80kg. It is harder to turn for a taller player, but it can be explained by just kinematics, as the lever on your limbs is greater, weight doesnt need to be involved. Anyway great video, Id love to see one about general strategies, like four corner style or smash-net style, how each style work, who is it best for and when and how to apply it.
Bro can you please please please decode akane Yamaguchi's game or any short height players game?I really don't understand how to read the game and as a male am also shorter in height 5'1 and I want to cover the corners too please help me brother.
Id say the key is good split step timing, good footwork, including recovery, and shots and playstyle that help you by preventing your opponent from easily sending you running (fast and explosive). Maybe you could study Loh Kean Yew, Naraoka and Anthony Ginting who are all short
Victor currently invinisible feeling sorry for Momota where he stands now after incident . But praise Victor for his consistancy amidst new good players like Kunluvut ,Shi feng , LZ zia , Naraoka ,Sen still he manages to win .
@@AmitKumar-hm4gx VA was immense in 2022 and had a record 37 consecutive wins, but because it was a Thomas Cup season with uneven scheduling because of covid, he couldn't match Momota's 11 titles from 2019.
Lcw is better than both Lin Dan and Kento momota. The difference is he didn't win Olympic gold and world championship. In terms of consistency Lin Dan and momota is nothing to Lcw because he is world number 1 world record holder till today .
Axelsen has minimized his weaknesses significantly in recent years, I doubt prime Momota would be able to get the same result play against him again. Still, prime Momota was a wonder to watch.
it comes down to momota being a smarter player and having the skills and footwork to execute his plays. current players either lack smarter plays or don't have the skills to keep up.
I think the creator got it wrong right from the start, " the problem with tall players is...". Post 2020 axelsen actually managed to overcome this problem and thats what lead to his huge success, height is always an advantage(its something a short player will never gain no matter how much they train).When a player this tall moves this fast, it becomes very difficult to beat him. On his good day he is virtually unbeatable.
thank god somebody presented my thoughts through this video , momota was the perfect kryptonite to axelsen , ginting could also have been that but he is way too inconsistent
I know Momota was quite good at making axelsen move but, even today there are players who can do the same as Momota. The difference is that Axelsen has improved his front court through a lot of training and the front is now his strong point. So, the same strategy does not work against him now.
Another advantage that Momota has over V.A is his being left-handed. At this point of time, there is almost no left-handed badminton player who can manage to challenge him.
kento momota is my biggest what if in sports, still loved watching him thru ups and downs
The last part of the conclusion is what many of my coaches thought Momota had lost after the accident, the mental aspect.
They believe Momota’s Tokyo group round exit in front of his home crowd had crushed his confidence and he was never able to recover. Momota’s head coach had said nothing wrong with him physically, Momota himself had said nothing wrong with him physically (though his fans will make excuses for him).
Momota seems to have lost the belief that he can drag it out and beat anybody.
Tai has winning record against all of her contemporaries, some of them overwhelmingly, but in the biggest games like the WC or OG, in tight games she will somehow lose her composure.
Mental aspect of the game isn’t frequently talked about at amateur level but it’s vital at elite level.
@@Phat-rj3jo it seemed like he couldn't enjoy badminton ever since the car accident
@@Phat-rj3jo Actually that is not true, it has nothing to do with mentality or confidence. After his retirement he said it himself in an interview that he is still suffering from double vision and his back injury is preventing him from moving as before. He kept this a secret because he did not want to let his opponent know about this but decided to talk about it after his retirement.
@@AAA-ot9lb no, that’s what he said after accident but he went through surgery to fix it.
@@Phat-rj3jo Brother he said it himself AFTER his retirement, it was never fixed. The doctors could not fix it that is why he retired. Go google it
momota's footworks was too good. The ability to move on the court without asserting too much energy.
yep, dude moved like a cat...
Because he rarely make any risky short like cross court smash and most of the time he going to make straight shot and neutralise the shuttle. Ginting once decode momota strategy in 2018 China Open. Starting 2019 momota start to inject more high pace and more cross court smash. His overhead straight smash still the most deadliest and accurate during his prime.
so efficient on court
Almost as good as lin dan, almost...
Look at Momota's footwork man. I have never seen anyone with that footwork. Along with the shot quality, changing pace, body balance, prediction of opponent shots and movements, he was indestructible, immovable and a true champion during his prime. Tragedy stuck him else he would have been Olympic champion twice by now.
Tbh Lin Dan one was even more superior than momota. The way he injected his pace when he was young was just crazy, after 2012 he play a longer rally but still personally I think that he has much better footwork than momota.
Top 3 best footwork I personally think Chen long. Lindan and momota . Lcw relies on his speed while still having very good footwork too, but not better than few of them
Hard to say that Momota will win two Olympic golds. If the misfortune did not befall him, it is reasonable to assume that Momota should be able to maintain his 2018/19 top form until now, if not having improved even further. If prime Momota were present, the recent Olympic final in Paris would have been way more interesting, as well as the supposed semi-final encounter between Axelsen and Momota in Tokyo Olympics. The psychological advantage Momota had on Axelsen was huge (very one-sided h2h) and Axelsen would have a mountain to climb en route to his two Olympic golds. Momota also read Axelsen like a book.
On the other hand, you shouldn't take credit away from Axelsen for his hard work, improvement and dominance since Tokyo Olympics. Upsets also happen in big tournaments so it's no guarantee that Momota would have won two consecutive Olympics golds, or even reached an Olympic final in the first place. Momota was defeated convincingly by Heo Kwang Hee in the group stage of the Tokyo Olympics. (I think 2018/19 Momota would have beat Heo without any issues, but you never know if the pressure would still have gotten to him.) Momota got knocked out by Ginting in the 2018 Asian Games when he was favored to win it after being crowned World Champion a month prior.
@@Zheheng82 of course Lin Dan, LCW, Chen Long these are legendary players.
@@seigakufuji Yes sure, huge respect for all international players. I know how difficult it is to play on that level and win. Still I personally really feel Momota would have had high chances for Gold in Olympics.
LCW is unbeatable before the final😂
Momota had everyone in a chokehold the moment he stepped on the court. He’s still having that same effect despite being retired for over a year now. Although Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei might be legends, Momota’s performance was so dominant.
It’s such a regrettable what if in badminton history.
I think he retired this year?
So you're trying to say that both LD & LCW weren't as dominant as Momota in their respective era?
@@ammarharith5512 They are but have you seen Momota's performance? It's a near perfect win rate. LD and LCW are much better remembered for their rivalry; their dominance comes as an added bonus. But Momota is dominant and that's what makes him legendary.
yes biggest "what if" in sports
LD was the defintion of dominant and he did it in much tougher era lol. we're talking about 2x olympic gold medalist, 5x WC gold medalist, 2x asian games gold medalis, 6x all england champion here
Not forgetting Momota's solid defense. He could successfully return shots that should have been clear winners leaving a psychological plague on his opponents. The only other player who consistently played at that level of defense was LCW
his movement was so good that he could retrieve anything and everything
You're forgetting prime chen long
100%
@@langsz facts man, Chen Long is a real hidden gem, ive not seen him play much but its unfortunate his talent and abilities were initially shadowed by LCW and LD legendary rivalry and later on shadowed by his older age.
I was great seeing momota at the end playing I think the Thomas cup and winning all three matches. He seemed to be enjoying his badminton and coming back from the deficit he had against kidambi was I hope a huge highlight for him. He will always be a great champion and player. One no one should forget.
Thank you for making videos on my idol kento momota ❤
in my opinion that 2020 momota at malaysia master has the smoothest and most efficient footwork ever and still momota had that defence to counter prime axelsen
When Momota played prime Axelsen he lost 21-4, 21-7.
@@HolgerDanske874 yes, even momota lose but the game pattern is same, the different is momota doesnt have good stamina to continue.
@@HolgerDanske874 bruhhh that is 2022 momota already became a different player physically and mentally
@@zammilhasif1588 after the accident
that deffo wasnt prime axelsen, he has gotten better post covid
All I can say is, that VA is this good now, can’t imagine what a monster KM will be if not for the damn accident!
he would still be such an insane monster without that accident
The older I get, the more I appreciate prime Momota. The beginning of his prime was taken away due to his own fault (gambling) but he was just unbeatable until his car accident. He just played so smart.
His prime was still there whether he gambled or not. However, the start of his prime being taken away was DURING the car accident.
@@8P3ths He was only out for 3 months, he just couldn't cope with epidemic and his opponents slowly started to figure him out.
@@HolgerDanske874 VA is bless that all his major title coincide with tragedy struck on KM career. He should thank god for that. A Momota that is able to improve from his 2019 form is a nightmare for every player. No matter which prime VA we talk about. KM just need to push the game pass the 1 hour mark, and VA will be mentally and physically exhausted.
@@randomchannel1004 Prime Axelsen is designed to run with his opponents, he wouldn't be out of gas against Momota
@@HolgerDanske874 design to run with his opponent , except Kento Momota or once a blue moon SYQ. Base on evidence at hand , I can extrapolate that a prime Momota can play till 2 hrs of intense badminton .
great analysis! I also noticed, prime momota used to be very offensive at the net. He come to the net very quickly in order to do spin shots (control the net) or quick lift (which could pass Axelsen and make him hard to get a high and comfortable position to smash). Momota also tends to do inject a slight pause every time when he get chance at net, which make Axelsen even harder to response when he is worn out.
Bro was so skilled, the footwork, the wrist action and he had great stamina
People talk like “oh but viktor has improved so much” yeah but have you thought about if viktor can improve so can momota? And momota don’t have to improve or change near as much as viktor to beat him because his game and form inherently counters viktor. Just a rough example, If viktor improve by 10, momota only have to improve by 5 to beat him. It’s like some people need to practice 10 hours to be good at something, and someone else only need 3, because they have inherent talent or body. Its not the same.
Because Viktor’s improvement is a cold-hard fact while momota’s is… well, an assumption as best. In the latest olympic, we did see a crazily good Kunlavut, who played a lot like Momota, wiped the floor with shi yuqi and Lee Zii Jia and yet, could not do shit to Viktor in the final. It proved that Viktor has learned so much from his losts and successfully developed counter strategies against these type of players!
@@khoidang74kunlavut in final playing too passive, he always lifting the shuttle and give Axelsen chance to playing aggressive.
Also if victor was not the best form.. but he won all through the final to lost to momota.. not thr top form but ha jas won all player except motora.. ??
Now there is no momota thats why victor is on the top form?? Except it.. lost is lost.. no excuse..
Momota was exceptional fr
@@khoidang74but kunlavut is not momota 😂 they r difference...we r saying momota ll improve like alaxsan...kunaut was playing like momota but not improve momota 😂
Great video - and some good reasons. One caveat though is, that as you can see in this video - Axelsen's current psychical form is much much better than it was earlier. Not sure how prime momota would do against prime axelsen, it's such a shame we will never see it. But Momota definitely knew how to play against Axelsen (and everyone else, he was unbeatable in his prime).
Viktor got into a better shape after his 2020 ankle surgery. And also Viktor has a better record against Shi, Momota was only 6-6. Even in his prime Momota said his most feared opponent was Shi. So there is also an element of some players just play specific players well.
With all that said yeah it’s too bad we will never see 2019 Momota vs a 2021 Axelsen.
@@Phat-rj3jo LOL why compare to Shi? You can't just compare the results from other players because everyone is different.
@@leedahye25 the point is some players just plays specific players better than others. For whatever reason Axelsen is better at playing against Shi than Momota. And if we are talking about results, Axelsen has two Olympic gold and Momota has zero.
@@Phat-rj3jo bruh why are you counting matches after momota accident,it was mmt 4-2 shi yuqi before that car crash and momota lost both of those because of himself,not shi yu qi.mmt lost to shi yu qi in 2018 was because of mmt fighted hard all year and was just too tired he even confirmed that in an interview.Same case with sudirman cup 2019 when he has fewer rest time than shi.I remember that shi yu qi played 1 match less than momota in that sudirman cup and for the final,china team had over 1 days to recover while it were just 16 hours for japan team,i played badminton for years and clearly understand that 16hours isnt enough for like 70% recover
yes. ONLY Axelsen will improve (In this world) as he grows older while dementia will consume Momota which result him completely forgetting what is badminton
Although I agree axelsen got better between 2020-2024, I think we can all agree prime momota would have still destroyed prime axelsen
yes
I loved this video. You did a very well job analysing momota´s play style against axelsen. I really miss momota prime, for me he represents the perfection in badminton
You hardly ever come across badminton videos with a thorough analysis of players and their strengths and weaknesses. So this video was very interesting to watch. Very welll done.
Momota during his peak years has always been my favorite, together with LCW. But I love all the other great players as well!
Great analysis! I agree with those points. It's incredible how much Momota's play style from pre-ban era. He played totally different back then.
great video!! i enjoyed watching a lot!
Brilliant Brilliant video!
For me, Momota had two main weapons - (unbelievably) consistent accuracy and left hander shuttle trajectory. The second is very similar to Lin Dan and is one of the reasons LCW was a fraction slower against LD, compared to most others. We can't see it from the TV but the shuttle path and trajectory really counts. Axelsen has definitely improved since 2020 and its really unfortunate that we can no longer see Momota play. I think their rivalry on court would have been very interesting.
wouldn't his efficient movement be considered a weapon too?
Tight fast drops are as good as power smashes.
facts
true but good movement is needed to have time to set up to hit nice shots like that
If Momota had not met with that accident, Axelsen wouldn’t have won those two Olympics Gold
LOL ! and if your granny had two, we would call her grandpa...
@@Badmintonforallya after accident momota cannot fokus..so sad
Players who can beat Axelson - LCW(11-3) , Chen Long(14-6), Momota (14-2) and Lin Dan(3-4) ..now noone near
He is not fitted to be champion according to fate. That is all.
@@Badmintonforallthat’s why you hv only 29 subscribers 😂
This is such a great quality content, nice summary.👍🏻
There are a hand ful of legends , these two are some of them
Title looked clickbait-y but this is very good analysis and insight.
People already forgot what "prime" Momota played like. So many people believed he plays defensively because they only know him after the accident. Maybe that one final with Axelsen before the accident when he had been playing so much and had no energy left.
Momota was relentless. He put on pressure constantly and while he had good defense and was not afraid to lift, he rarely lifted high (and rarely had to because he was so good at dictating the rallies).
The issue with badminton fans is that they all think each player specialise in something. Lin Dan in attack, Lee Chong Wei in defense and that transposes to Axelsen in attack, Momota in defense. That's not how it is. All 4 players have the best attack and the best defense in their era. If anything, Viktor Axelsen and Chen Long don't look as fast as the rest because their reaches are longer.
Your videos
are tooooo good!
Beautifully put together.
You're spot on, Motoma was really the player destined to humble Axelsen with the style of play forcing him to work on his weaknesses.
Momota was just born to play badminton...I have never seen such passion to play badminton as him, he always looked like enjoying the game...nothing specific, he really worked very hard for this but I'll say that he was gifted with this talent❤
wish there's more players like him
Great video! Thanks😊
Thanks for another great video.Momota undoubtedly one of the GOATs❤
Thank u for the video..lucky to watch both axelson and momota in india open..
Excellent analysis. Loved it. Great work, thanks
A very good video 🎉
Brother you have given a superb explanation i really like that and i last video you made about Momota playing style that helps me a lot
and i dont think so that the present player can beat him
I love your videos, they are so informational compared to other channels❤
Amazing video... never stop making these
I was waiting for that analysis so long!
really nice analysis, I didnt expect that weakness when tall player bend after i imagine a bamboo bow it down
not only that he has crazy stamina but also his consistency maintaining his proper form where even in long rallies he still can perform the same movements unlike other players who slouches when the rally is longer than they anticipated
he was always ready to pounce on the next shot
7:46 WHEN YOU SEE VIKTOR HELPLESS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW MOMOTA IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COURT
Lakshya Sen and co. must follow these guidelines of the game forever now, if they wish to win 😊
Absolute brilliant agility this, and insane control over drops everytime by Momota 🥵☺️
Almost at 10k let's go!
man I hope we get a time chamber or something and get momota back on the pro leagues.
Consistently playing with high quality shot is the key to win against most players. That's how LD beat LCW too. Even though LCW was one of the most skilled and athletic badminton players ever.
that variable strokeplay infused with drops , smash , fast footwork , defense , netplay , pace change that lcw and momota possessed were a nail in coffin for axelsen , because even lin dan , chen long could not dominate axelsen fully before axelsen rose up through the ranks with experience but momota was something else
LCW was also tactically successful playing against VA in the 2018 malaysian open, those drop shots left VA stranded many times.
Agreement with you. Good video. Thanks
My thoughts about this video almost got what I think too : which one of us gets tired first, and then take the rest of the energy to use full power to the tired player.
Momota: *exists*
Axelsen's back: 💀☠
Ironic that it was Kento’s back that ultimately did him in
@@lincolnfineblanket1464his eyes couldnt catch up. Its ruined by the accidents
My own back get tired just by watching haha
Could you please do a video on the two-time and reigning Olympic champions, Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang? Many say they have disappeared in between the Olympics, but having followed them since Tokyo, I think they often brought out their A game. It's just that men's doubles is such an even field. During the Olympics, however, they did bring out their A+++ game. Winning two consecutive Olympic golds unseeded is a terrific feat, and I don't think their achievements will be surpassed any time soon.
His net shot, stamina, and defense was so incredible, his smash was not really heavy but it was danger and meet the point to win the rallies
Axelsen playing without Momota is prime Axelsen. He was already world no.2 when Momota at his prime.
I think that the domination from Momota reshaped Axelsen game, pushing him to improve to survive (physically, improve long rallies, footwork). He had to work very hard on all of his weaknesses as they were constantly thrown into his face by Kento.
When he finally got near that level, Momota disappeared and Axelsen was left there alone, now when not injured he just dominates.
VA has improved a lot since 2020. While the rest are still catching up. But KM still the best at his prime. Missed his matches 😢
Love your video
Momota's calm and collective playstyle while retaining inctedible shot quality is what makes him so great. He is so chill on the court whilst also being so good at hitting precise shots.
I would argue that he is a legend in badminton. He was too dominant not to be one.
Axelsen fans must accept that Kento is better than Axelsen. If you can see that Axelsen is losing 3 match against Prannoy in his peak era. The other example is kunlavut when he beat Axelsen in India Open 2023. Their game is really similar with Kento prime. In my analysis that Axelsen is really struggling with player who can control the pace and playing no lob shuttle and Kento really knows Axelsen weakness and taking advantage on the game
You are right. Momota knew Axelsen's weakness.
Only if he knew his own.
"Axelsen fans must accept that Kento is better than Axelsen" ok, and the earth is flat...
I enjoy seeing him play during his prime. It is sad that he lost it all after his accident. He never did recover mentally.
You only have to look at the physical stature of Axelsen back then, even his cheeks, and then notice at how he looks today. He's much more fit now. He was also going through loads of injuries during this time.
So only VA ll improve but not momota 😂 kk fan boy
@@Tshering-lf9oc Momota, like pretty much all Japanese Badminton players, are more or less one dimensional.
Malaysia Open final in 22 was an execution.
@@Hammerhook12 ohh u DNT have knowledge of japanese Player....momota was known as a defensive intelligent skill player to beat anyone by reading their games .. todays player can't beat Viktor because they don't have what momota has ... momota was ,
14-0 against Viktor
@@Hammerhook12
If you think momota was unidimensional then you have no idea about racquet sports in general and badminton in particular. Momota was as complete a badminton player as one can aspire to be. He virtually had no weakness at all. That's why it was a big struggle for everyone else to beat him, let alone Victor, since there was no weakness they could exploit. Kento Momota had the gold standard of a perfectly successful and a replicable badminton model. His records prior to the accident speak for himself. Victor is reigning supreme now because there's no Momota-like player to counter him. Even now a much improved Victor is a no match for the all-round abilities of Momota, he simply doesn't have the total package of consistent badminton that Momota had. As simple as that.
@@326gundu Momota could run Viktor down, No none can do that anymore. The playbook of defeating Viktor nowadays doesn't even include any of Momota's strengths with his lack of powerful attack. Kunlavut Vitidsarn is basically a right handed Momota - that's how he performed at the Olympics - But in the final against Viktor, he pretty much got smashed.
Momota's game play is like constitution of badminton. Today, if someone replicate momota's gameplay he/she can defeat any opponent in current world badminton circuit.
Momota one of the GOATs. All-rounded, consistent, dominant.
Still being compared to and respected after not playing at peak performance and retiring.
can't deny the fact Momota owns Axelsen before the accident , but cannot ignore the fact that Axelsen slowly reaches his prime after 2020 as well . Very tough call for prime Momota VS. prime Axelsen
They could have had the coolest rivalry, if their primes had just aligned :(
Perfect video for showing that height is NOT an advantage. There is a reason only a few % of people over 6'2 have ever been number one, or won Olympic gold. Being tall is a disadvantage, not an advantage. History proves me right.
my inspiration..
maybe, but prime Axelsen v prime Momota? Then we'd be talking
Fast body smash and killing at the net seem to stand out. This also Kento applied against Chen Long.
prime momota will always be my king footwork and shot quality player
How do you best abuse your heigth then?
By having the better angles?
Yes, better angles, but also by using your reach to cut off shots early. Did a video on how Axelsen uses his height and will have another one coming out soon too :)
th-cam.com/video/4JG8lpEOptg/w-d-xo.html
Momota was an absolutr beast but in my opinion viktor has also improved a lot since 2020
VA is bless that all his major title coincide with tragedy struck on KM career. He should thank god for that. A Momota that is able to improve from his 2019 form is a nightmare for every player. No matter which prime VA we talk about. KM just need to push the game pass the 1 hour mark, and VA will be mentally and physically exhausted.
Momota was one of the most complete players of the modern era and a player I loved to watch in action. He lacked for nothing except better luck off the court. His movement and shots were so precise it must have been absolutely terrifying to face this man in 2018-19. It would be wrong to say he moved around the court with a certain swagger, he's strikes me as far too modest for such a thing, instead it was his almost machine-like smoothness and consistency that just convinced opponents that, against this man, they were playing for second right from the start.
He didn't have a forceful attack and was quit boring generally in his play style.
The Version of Viktor in 22 would've defeated him quite easily. it was all about stepping a meter further to the front court
@@leenpels7646 I have to disagree. Having a big attack is invaluable in doubles but in singles I would place a higher value on mobility, economy of movement and consistency. Having a big attack comes into its own when a player can get fully behind the shuttle to deliver the full power and control of their shot but if, instead, they are chasing shadows all over the court it becomes incredibly difficult to apply the coup de grace.
Momota also never played Axelsen in his prime. So hard to compare as in Momotas prime, Axelsen was far off his best performance.
Probably just my english but when you said Prime Momota it makes it seem like he is much older than Viktor :D Probably makes more sense to say "Pre-injured Momota" But great video, thanks!
Pre injured? He was only injured for 3 months. Axelsen had many injuries in his youth too.
@@HolgerDanske874 Did Viktor have a car accidents which killed the driver and caused Momota to have permanent eye and back issue? Why does have long time someone is injured have anything to do with if they are able to recover or not? It is the severity of an injury which is the determine factor.
@@AAA-ot9lb You're just making stuff up. Momota had eye surgery and only needed 3 months of rest. After the surgery his eye sight was perfect and nothing was wrong with him physically.
@@HolgerDanske874 Why would I make this up? He has said this in interviews, you probably can google it.
@@HolgerDanske874 He definitely lost some sharpness which was clear in his post accident performances.
Good analysis. What do you think of Lakshya Sen losing to Axelsen in the recent Paris Olympics?
Momota was great, for sure, but Viktor is the goat, period.
I like how he analyses Axelsen like a video game final boss
Prannoy is someone who used to do this effectively aswell but not to Momota's level.Prannoy used to just return everything making Axelsen to do a mistake
The thing is that he turned into a "beast" mode in Olympics. He takes Olympics a lot more seriously than any other tournaments.
Ever seen Lin Dan play? That's what you call beast mode.
I looked at some male badminton players weights recently on wikipedia, and Axelsen may not be that heavy for his height. Sure, wikipedia is far from the most reliable source in that domain, but all badminton platers' weights I have seen were around 70-80kg. I mean, look Axelsen, he is very thin, I wouldnt be surprised if he was under 80kg. It is harder to turn for a taller player, but it can be explained by just kinematics, as the lever on your limbs is greater, weight doesnt need to be involved. Anyway great video, Id love to see one about general strategies, like four corner style or smash-net style, how each style work, who is it best for and when and how to apply it.
Saw somewhere that Axelsen weighs 86kg.
Bro can you please please please decode akane Yamaguchi's game or any short height players game?I really don't understand how to read the game and as a male am also shorter in height 5'1 and I want to cover the corners too please help me brother.
Id say the key is good split step timing, good footwork, including recovery, and shots and playstyle that help you by preventing your opponent from easily sending you running (fast and explosive). Maybe you could study Loh Kean Yew, Naraoka and Anthony Ginting who are all short
Victor currently invinisible feeling sorry for Momota where he stands now after incident . But praise Victor for his consistancy amidst new good players like Kunluvut ,Shi feng , LZ zia , Naraoka ,Sen still he manages to win .
People can correct me if I am wrong but nobody had a peak like Kento except for Lin Dan...
lol.. what do yo think of VA?
@@meshuggahman3225 VA is great but I still think Kento’s peak was fierce he almost won everything one year!
Agreed
@@AmitKumar-hm4gx VA was immense in 2022 and had a record 37 consecutive wins, but because it was a Thomas Cup season with uneven scheduling because of covid, he couldn't match Momota's 11 titles from 2019.
Lcw is better than both Lin Dan and Kento momota. The difference is he didn't win Olympic gold and world championship. In terms of consistency Lin Dan and momota is nothing to Lcw because he is world number 1 world record holder till today .
Kento M is best baddie player for me!
that single accident changed the future bandminton timeline
Axelsen has minimized his weaknesses significantly in recent years, I doubt prime Momota would be able to get the same result play against him again. Still, prime Momota was a wonder to watch.
it comes down to momota being a smarter player and having the skills and footwork to execute his plays. current players either lack smarter plays or don't have the skills to keep up.
hi bro, may I know what bgm you used for this? absolutely brilliant
I really loved Momota’s play. Couldn’t it be though that Axelsen has got a lot better?
I think the creator got it wrong right from the start, " the problem with tall players is...". Post 2020 axelsen actually managed to overcome this problem and thats what lead to his huge success, height is always an advantage(its something a short player will never gain no matter how much they train).When a player this tall moves this fast, it becomes very difficult to beat him. On his good day he is virtually unbeatable.
thank god somebody presented my thoughts through this video , momota was the perfect kryptonite to axelsen , ginting could also have been that but he is way too inconsistent
Kento Momota, my biggest what if
The only man to ever make Axelsen look helpless.
I know Momota was quite good at making axelsen move but, even today there are players who can do the same as Momota. The difference is that Axelsen has improved his front court through a lot of training and the front is now his strong point. So, the same strategy does not work against him now.
Hope you will make a video about why lin dan is so unbeatable
The reasons are Momota was very consistent on his shots and rarely makes an error. Also his defense and dives are consistent also.
also, this is what Naraoka ultimately needs to learn. he can't just play 4 corners 95-100% of the time.
I think Momota's one more ability against Axelsen was his anticipation. He could anticipate most of Axelsen's smashes correctly.
Sen lakshya should learn from KM😅😮😢🤐🤧
Another advantage that Momota has over V.A is his being left-handed. At this point of time, there is almost no left-handed badminton player who can manage to challenge him.
lefties for the win hehe