Star attraction: Viktor Axelsen's return will certainly spice up the competition in Jakarta.
PETALING JAYA: It will be pure joy for great Dane Viktor Axelsen as he makes a return to the Indonesian Open but despair for Malaysian women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah as they won’t be part of the action.
Olympic champion Axelsen will finally get into the fray today after limping off during a clash with Lee Zii Jia when Malaysia took on Denmark during the Sudirman Cup quarter-finals last month in Suzhou, China.
His return will certainly spice up the competition in Jakarta and it will not be too much to say that Axelsen may be at his best to defend the title he won emphatically at the Istora Senayan Stadium last year.
Axelsen, who suffered a hamstring injury, has declared that he has recovered and also had about two weeks of intensive training in Dubai before arriving in Jakarta.
“I’ve been having my normal load of training (in Dubai) and my rehab has also been going well. I have been moving pain free in training,” said Axelsen.
“The objective is to play consecutive matches and eventually, consecutive tournaments.”
It will be a tough beginning too for Axelsen as he will play China dangerman Weng Hongyang and that will be the ideal way for the word No. 1 to test his current condition.
Safety measure: Skipping the Indonesian Open was probably the best option for Pearly Tan (right) to prevent further damage to her already strained right elbow.
Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong will also be on a mission to produce more consistent performances after suffering early exits in the Singapore Open last week.
Zii Jia gave his all but could not get past Hongyang in the first round at the Lion City while Tze Yong also went down fighting to Thailand Open winner Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the second round.
Independent shuttler Zii Jia faces another strong rival in Lakshya Sen in his opening round tomorrow (Wednesday) while Tze Yong has a mountain to climb when he plays China’s top shuttler Shi Yuqi in his first round today (Tuesday).
As for Pearly-Thinaah, national coach Hoon Thien How said skipping the Indonesian Open was probably the best option for Pearly to prevent further damage to her already strained right elbow although it is not a career-threatening injury.
After deliberating for the last six days since she suffered the injury during the first round of the Singapore Open, Thien How had no choice but to ask his top pair to forego the super 1000 tournament to allow Pearly to focus on full recovery.
Pearly is the kind of player who goes all out during her matches, thus putting her at risk of further aggravating the injury.
Thien How said Pearly has shown improvement over the last few days but is still not fully fit to return to competition.
“We have been monitoring her progress for the last few days and Pearly was getting better. Even yesterday (Sunday), it looked like there is a chance for her to play but it’s better we give her time to heal completely,” he said.
Pearly-Thinaah were supposed to play independent pair Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien in the first round and their place has been taken by Indonesian pair Meilysa Trias-Rachel Allessya.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Goh Jin Wei can expect a torrid time against former Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain in the first round.
Men’s doubles duo Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, currently the most consistent Malaysian pair, should have no problems clearing the first hurdle against M.R. Arjun-Dhruv Kapila of India today.
The other Malaysian participants are Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei ChongTee Kai Wun (men’s doubles) and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Eei Wei, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (mixed doubles).
