TOKYO, Dec 9 — Japan’s badminton world number one Kento Momota today announced his long-awaited return to competition, nearly a year after suffering serious injuries in a car crash, as he begins his bid for home glory at the Tokyo Olympics.

Momota will compete at the All-Japan national championships in Tokyo in late December before playing in the Thailand Open early in January, following a difficult year in which he feared his career might be over after fracturing his eye socket in the accident.

"It’s been almost a year since my last international tournament,” said Momota, who was hurt in January when the vehicle taking him to Kuala Lumpur airport — just hours after he won the Malaysia Masters — was involved in an accident that killed his driver.

"First, I have the All-Japan championships and I want to concentrate on that, but I’m really looking forward to playing against the best international players.

"I’m nervous but I’m really looking forward to it.” — AFP