Japan’s world number one Kento Momota has stirred a huge badminton storm in his homeland after offering to teach the game to anyone interested, with his social media post triggering thousands of responses.

“I also want to teach people badminton. I want people to know how fun this is. Would anyone like to play badminton with me?” posted by Momota on Twitter, which went viral.

The reigning world champion would select two lucky participants by the end of September for the much coveted tutoring session.

Momota last played at, and won, the Malaysia Masters this year, but was out of commission for months after being involved in a car crash on the way to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on January 13.

He is fully recovered and is ready for action once the badminton season resumes.



Meanwhile, Japan’s women’s doubles specialist Ayaka Takahashi announced she would retire at the end of this month.

“I’ve decided to end my career on August 31, as I have doubts as to whether my inner fire and body would get through another year,” she was quoted saying.

Takahashi and her partner Misaki Matsutomo memorably produced one of the greatest badminton comebacks when they recovered to beat Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl in the third game to win a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.

Their victory marked Japan’s first badminton gold at the Olympics.