KUALA LUMPUR – National badminton player Ng Tze Yong is set to return to action in April based on his progress so far.
The 24-year-old men’s singles player, who suffered a serious lower back injury in January last year, is still recovering from two surgeries and only resumed structured on-court training last week.
For now, Tze Yong is training three times a week at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
Last May, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) granted him a one-year ranking protection, allowing him to compete in top-tier tournaments without starting from scratch, provided he returns within the stipulated period.
The key question now is whether BAM is rushing his comeback to safeguard his protected world number 18 ranking.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen, who took charge of the singles department this year, insists this is not a gamble.
“With the plan we are following, I don’t see it as a gamble – I see it as very positive progress,” he told Scoop in an exclusive interview today.
“Yes, there is a deadline to consider, but if we push too fast just to meet that deadline, then I would be concerned.
“When you enter your first tournament, you want to be able to perform at the highest level, but for me, it is more important that we rebuild the foundation. We need to be confident that when he steps onto the court, there is no risk of a serious recurrence,” Jonassen added.
Widely credited for his role in the rise of two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen and European champion Anders Antonsen, Jonassen remains optimistic about Tze Yong’s return but is not expecting him to be at his peak just yet. In fact, the experienced Danish coach would be satisfied if Tze Yong could reach around 80% of his top level.
“Maybe we are only at 80%, but it is crucial to know we have done the necessary preparation. Physically, that is the main focus,” he said.
“I’m not expecting him to be at his best, but I do expect a learning process. Based on how well the first week went and the first two days of this week, I see an April return as entirely possible.”
Since there are no World Tour events in April, Tze Yong will have a full month to prepare before considering tournaments such as the Super 300 Taipei Open and Super 500 Thailand Open in May. The deadline to register for these events is April 1.
“We will discuss how to progress together because this is not just my decision – it’s his body, and his input matters,” Jonassen said.
“The physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, and the whole team will be involved in ensuring we make the right choices. The key is not to force him to reach 100 percent immediately, but to get as close as possible and assess how well he can handle the impact of competitive play.” – February 12, 2025