Almere: Former World No. 2 Kento Momota of Japan continued to play great again in Europe. After winning the 2017 USA International, 2017 Belgian International, and the Czech Open, Momota secured his fourth titles in two months on Sunday by winning the Dutch Open in Almere, Netherlands.
Momota did not drop a set throughout the entire Dutch Open, needed only 39 minutes to overcome No. 13 Yu Igarashi of Japan in the Dutch Open final. Igarashi apparently did not manage to find the answer on Momota’s aggressiveness in the gripping match. On the other hand, Momota showed all his power and was better in all parameters to beat Igarashi 21-10, 21-12.
In women’s competition, Zhang Beiwen of USA won the Dutch Open for the third time on Sunday. The American, who managed to win the tournament in 2014 and 2016, proved too strong for Michelle Li of Canada, as she beat the Canadian 21-16, 21-14 in the women’s singles final.
Liao Min Chun/Su Cheng Heng of Taiwan emerged as the men’s doubles winners on finals day as the No. 5 seeds defeated No. 2 seeds Takuto Inoue/Yuki Kaneko to lift the men’s doubles title.
No. 6 seeds Jacco Arends/Selena Piek’s hope of winning the Dutch Open in front of home crowd ended in disappointment when they loss to England’s No. 8 seeds Marcus Ellis/Lauren Smith 17-21, 18-21 in the mixed doubles final.
Meanwhile, unseeded Della Destiara Haris/Rizki Amelia Pradipta of Indonesia pulled off an upset in the women’s doubles final as they scored a 21-17, 21-16 victory over compatriots and No. 1 seeds Anggia Shitta Awanda/Ni Ketut Mahadewi Istarani in 44 minutes.
