KUALA LUMPUR – If it was not for Datuk Tey Seu Bock’s “slow talk”, national men’s singles shuttler Justin Hoh would have called it quits.
Speaking to Scoop today, Seu Bock, one of the men’s singles coaches at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM), revealed that 20-year-old Justin nearly gave up on his promising career after struggling with several serious injuries last year.
Because of this, Seu Bock urged local fans to give the Kuala Lumpur-born player the space and time to reach his full potential again.
“As a young player with much potential, he has gone through a lot.
“Last year, he suffered a serious Achilles tendon rupture, which left him out for eight months – and then, on his return, he injured his right foot.
“Just when he thought his injuries were behind him, he suffered another knee injury.
“Understandably, as a young player, his mental state took a beating. Imagine breaking into the world’s top 50, only to be sidelined like this.
“Fortunately, we managed to ‘slow talk’ him out of giving up,” said Seu Bock, who is among the longest-serving national coaches.
Given his impressive rise in such a short time, there is no doubt that Justin has the makings to become one of the top men’s singles shuttlers ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
While not downplaying his ability to achieve great results, Seu Bock does not want Justin to be weighed down by unrealistic expectations.
“Justin is a good player, but let’s not overhype him. He is slowly making a comeback, so I urge all parties to give him the space to grow and reach his full potential again,” he added.
Since returning to competitive action in March, Justin has won the Slovenia Open in May, and the Saipan International Challenge in July while reaching the final of the Northern Mariana Open.
The world number 69 is currently in Sarawak for the Malaysian Games. Badminton competitions are scheduled from August 17 to 24 at the Sibu Indoor Stadium. – August 15, 2024