Kento Momota Announces His Resignation from Badminton

"I wanted to bounce back from it and that attitude along with the support of people around me at least allowed me to get a foothold," he continued.

Momota had targeted this summer's Paris Olympics but his national ranking was not good enough to earn him a spot in Japan's team.

He was banned from selection for the 2016 Rio Olympics for gambling at an illegal casino.

He lost in the opening round of the Tokyo Games in 2021 in a huge shock which he described as nothing but a frustrating memory.

"I don't think I was fully prepared for it but I had dreamed of playing at the Olympics for a long time so in that sense it was a good experience," Momota remarked.

Then he urged his Japan teammates to learn from his mistakes and keep calm when they step out onto the Olympic court in Paris.

"I really felt how difficult it was to do the things you do normally, so don't think about the result, just give it your all so that you have no regrets," he expressed.