KUALA LUMPUR — National men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong may miss next month’s prestigious All England, but there has been a positive development in his recovery journey as he has returned to on-court training this week.
According to Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen, this marks Tze Yong’s first on-court training after an unsuccessful attempt in December.
Notably, the 24-year-old has been out of top-flight action for over 12 months due to a lower back injury, which required two surgeries last year.
“Tze Yong has now returned to the court as part of a structured plan. We tried in December, but unfortunately, it didn’t go well. This time, we’ve had one session so far (on Monday), and it was a good and promising start,” Jonassen told Scoop while emphasising caution.
The experienced Danish coach, who officially joined the national setup in January, is keen to avoid rushing Tze Yong’s recovery, prioritising a steady and measured approach to ensure the player’s long-term fitness and performance.
Jonassen, who was instrumental in the development of two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen and reigning European champion Anders Antonsen, elaborated on Tze Yong’s current training programme.
“Yesterday’s (Monday) session included structured one-on-one exercises. We are progressing, but it’s crucial to control the duration and intensity to monitor the daily impact.
“For now, we’re taking it slow with three on-court sessions per week. Communication among all stakeholders is vital to ensure the best possible process in getting Tze Yong back to full fitness, both on and off the court.”
In May last year, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) requested a protected ranking for Tze Yong from the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The BWF granted this for one year (12 months), allowing Tze Yong to enter tournaments based on his previous world number 18 ranking, rather than starting from scratch in lower-tier events.
When asked if Tze Yong’s projected return to tournaments is still on track, Jonassen said: “Yes, that’s the goal, but we won’t rush things. We’ll focus on his response to training, maintain open communication, and take it one session at a time.”
Before his unsuccessful attempt to return to on-court training in December, Tze Yong had been following a rigorous strength and conditioning programme designed by the National Sports Institute (NSI).
In his absence, the national team has relied heavily on world number 28 Leong Jun Hao and world number 53 Justin Hoh. Both players have been named in the squad for the upcoming Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships (BAMTC) in Qingdao, China, next week. — February 5, 2025