KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong may have to start from the lower-tier tournaments to regain his touch after a long absence from competition.
Singles coach Kenneth Jonassen hinted at this approach, as he does not want to rush Tze Yong or put him under undue pressure, especially when the shuttler is eager to compete to safeguard his protected world ranking.
The Danish explained that starting next week, Tze Yong will be able to train at high intensity for four days a week.
“We may register him for some tournaments.
‘‘However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he will compete, as we want to ensure his progress remains on track and that he feels ready at the right time,” said Jonassen.
“Potentially, he will start with some lower-tier tournaments, but it’s crucial that we enter a few, and we hope for steady progress as part of a much larger plan.’’
The lower-tier events that Tze Yong may participate in include the Vietnam International Challenge from March 25-30 or the Phuket International Series from April 1-6.
This is seen as a good preparation ahead of the Asian Championships from April 8-12 in Ningbo, China.
“However, we won’t rush anything or set a strict deadline.
‘‘Our focus is on getting there as strongly as possible, but I don’t necessarily need him to be at 100% in terms of peak performance,” said Jonassen.
Tze Yong has been out of action since January 2024 due to a back injury.
He initially suffered a muscle tear during the Malaysian Open, which worsened after he competed in the Asian Team Championships the following month, resulting in a spinal injury.
Tze Yong’s protected ranking of world No. 18 is set to expire at the end of April 2025. If he does not compete before the deadline, he will lose his protected status, and his ranking will drop based on the points he has accumulated during his injury absence.
