World No. 1 shuttler Kento Momota made a winning return to international competition on Wednesday, beating India's Parupalli Kashyap 21-13, 22-20 in a first-round match at the All England Open badminton championships.

The 26-year-old Japanese was making his first appearance on the international stage in 14 months after suffering facial injuries in a traffic accident in Malaysia and then a positive coronavirus test.

Kento Momota in action at the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham on March 17, 2021. (Getty/Kyodo)

"I'm glad I survived the first round," said Momota, who raced out to a 7-1 lead in the first game, before Parupalli raised his net game and won the next six points to equal the scores at 7-7.

Men's singles top seed Momota became the first Japanese player to win the All England Open when he did so in 2019.

Before Wednesday, he had not played in an elite-level competition since he won the Malaysia Masters in January last year, shortly before the vehicle collision that killed the van driver and sent the passengers to the hospital for treatment.

Momota suffered facial lacerations and a nasal fracture, and needed surgery for a right eye socket fracture.

The start of the tournament in Birmingham was delayed by five hours following a "significant number" of inconclusive COVID-19 test results, the organizers announced. Momota and other members of the national team took pre-departure tests that were all negative.

No teams from China, Taiwan or South Korea are taking part in the March 17-21 BWF World Tour Super 1000 event because of travel restrictions and health concerns.