Badminton: Japan’s Naraoka aims to break through more barriers, starting at World Tour Finals

BANGKOK – When a five-year-old Kodai Naraoka learnt how to play badminton from his father Hiroshi, his favourite past-time was hitting the shuttlecock against the wall at home in Aomori.

After years of hammering, he achieved a literal breakthrough at the age of 13 when he smashed a hole in that wall.

Now 21, the world No. 14 is ready to conquer any barrier in his professional career.

With two-time world champion and world No. 9 Kento Momota on the wane after a career-threatening car accident in 2020, Naraoka is the heir apparent.

He is the only Japanese men’s singles player to qualify for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals, comprising the top eight performers from each of the five events.

Naraoka record speaks for itself. In 2022, he won one BWF World Tour event, made three other finals and another four semi-finals.

This week at Bangkok’s Nimbutr Arena, he is in Group A with Norway’s world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen, Indian H. S. Prannoy (No. 12) and Lu Guangzu (No. 17) of China.

Group B comprises Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew (No. 3), Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen (No. 4) and Indonesians Jonatan Christie (No. 5) and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (No. 7)

Through a translator, Naraoka told The Straits Times: “I’m very happy, especially with how I performed in the second half of the year because I worked really hard for this. There are many strong players here, but my aim is to win.

“It is an honour when people compare me with senior players like Momota, but he has his style and I have my own.”

For a start, he is right-handed, unlike Momota. Both, however, are extremely strong in defence.

“Other players may find it hard to find an advantage against me. But I like to think I can attack and smash pretty hard too,” said Naraoka.

Hiroshi shared that his son’s abilities are more a product of nurture than nature. Naraoka actually picked up the sport to get closer to his father, who was spending much of his time volunteering as a school coach.