Tze Yong will be given time to get back up to speed
NATIONAL singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen does not want to put any pressure on men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong, who only recently returned to international competition after a long injury layoff.
Kenneth said Tze Yong's main focus is not about producing immediate results but steadily working his way back to full fitness.
He said that the Johor-born shuttler's return is part of a gradual process, with the primary goal of regaining rhythm and consistency after his lengthy absence.
'Looking at the bigger picture, coming off the Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) and now competing in the Taiwan Open, it has been a good progression. It has always been seen as a long-term matter for us.
'We are taking it tournament by tournament, learning new things and slowly getting back into the tournament groove, so to speak. I was really happy to see him go all out for three full games this time (in the Taiwan Open on Wednesday),' he told reporters after the national team's training session at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) today.
After being sidelined for over a year following back surgery, Tze Yong returned to action at the BAC in April and lost 9-21, 12-21 in 44 minutes to reigning world champion and third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.
On Wednesday (May 7), he suffered another early exit, going down 21-18, 18-21, 17-21 to world number 71 Wang Po Wei in the opening round of the ongoing Taiwan Open.
As such, Kenneth, who said the 24-year-old has shown encouraging improvement with each tournament since his comeback at the BAC, wants Tze Yong to enjoy himself at every tournament as he works towards regaining his form.
'I saw clear progression compared to his first tournament. That's the key in this process. Of course, we want him back at his best, but that takes time and I'm okay with that.
'The main focus is to learn from each tournament, evaluate what we need to work on in training, and build from there, in line with the long-term plan we have for him. So, we don't want to put too much pressure on him,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
21 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Leave no stone unturned when treating Tze Yong, says Dr Ramlan
KUALA LUMPUR: A concerted, comprehensive team effort involving everyone from the surgeon to the coach is needed to ensure national shuttler Ng Tze Yong makes a successful recovery after he undergoes anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. That is the view of former National Sports Council chief executive officer Datuk Dr Ramlan Abd Aziz. Tze Yong, who sustained the ACL injury during the recent Malaysia Masters, is expected to go under the surgeon's knife soon. A BA of Malaysia official last week disclosed that Tze Yong had suffered "a complete ACL tear." It is a disappointing blow for Tze Yong who has already undergone two procedures - including endoscopic spine surgery - as he battled back pain over the past year. ACL injuries, which are relatively common in sports that require rapid direction changes such as football and badminton, have in the past been an athlete's worst nightmare. Such injuries have ended athletes' careers or significantly diminished their sporting abilities to the point they are no longer competitive at the highest level. But with advances in sports medicine and rehabilitation over the years, that is no longer the case and Dr Ramlan believes Tze Yong can come back stronger than before if he is guided correctly through the entire process. The first step, he says, is to determine how the injury occurred and which areas of the knee have been affected. "There are many factors to be considered before he undergoes surgery," said Dr Ramlan when contacted recently. "We have to first understand the mechanism of the injury (how it happened). Was it due to one particular instance of hyperextension of the knee or was there perhaps a predisposing injury before? "If there was a partial tear in the knee previously, it would have resulted in diminution - weakening in the muscles -surrounding the knee. "If not spotted or addressed, it is essentially a ticking time bomb. Even a lesser instance of overextension or aggravation could cause a major episode. "You then have to determine whether there has been associated tears within the structures of the knee (involving the posterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament, medial lateral ligament, lateral meniscus and medial meniscus). "This is important for the surgeon to decide what needs to be done to ensure the knee can be restored to an optimum state. "The common practice nowadays is to take a sliver of ligament from the hamstring tendon. This way there is no issue with rejection or infections. "The surgeons nowadays are very good and have it down to a very fine science." Dr Ramlan added that in the past ligaments were usually taken from cadavers or the patient's own infrapatellar tendon - underneath the knee cap - though this is no longer the case today. The real work for Tze Yong, however, begins the moment the surgery is concluded. Dr Ramlan stressed that Tze Yong must be mentally prepared to fight his way back to fitness during the rehabilitation process. "After the operation there will have to be some wound care to make sure there are no infections, anything can happen, so this is important," said Dr Ramlan. "Then, as soon as possible, he will have to work on early mobilisation, this is the principle nowadays. This is to minimise muscle wastage as much as possible and overcome stiffness. "The athlete will probably be under the surgeon's physiotherapist (for conventional orthopedic rehabilitation) for the first two weeks but after that it is important to transition to sports (specific) rehabilitation which incorporates the basic principle of training in sports. "It is important to strengthen the muscles around the knees and ensure there is balance between them because these muscles all work in tandem. "Swelling is also expected during the first few weeks and there could also be post-exercise inflammation which can now be treated through cryotherapy. "The athlete must be prepared for this psychologically because the whole process will take time. In my experience, young patients want to get better yesterday (are impatient). Patience and resolve from the patient is imperative." Ramlan added that all parties involved in Tze Yong's rehabilitation process must work together hand in hand. This is especially important considering Tze Yong had previously undergone two procedures on his spine. "His attending doctor must get in contact with the surgeon who did the procedure for his spine and understand what the prognosis was. We have to get the facts right as we cannot afford to assume things," said Dr Ramlan. "It is important all parties work together closely, this includes the surgeon who does the knee surgery, the surgeon who did the spine surgery, the physiotherapist, the strength and conditioning coach as well as the (player's own) coach as well as the association. "The coach is the most important person when it comes to the rehabilitation process and must play an important role in overseeing the whole process. "The athlete can start with isometric exercises (to strengthen muscles) and then progress to isotonic exercises which includes open and closed chain exercises when he is ready. "Correct form is important. All this has to be monitored so there has to be strong cooperation from all parties because we (medical staff) cannot be with him all the time (once he has left hospital). "If I am taking care of a national player and have high hopes of him playing in the Olympics, this is how it has to be done. I cannot afford to leave any stone unturned. "The surgeon has already done his job but that is only 50 per cent of the story. He (surgeon) will not want his work to be undermined by shoddy work in the other 50 per cent (during rehabilitation)." Ramlan said Tze Yong could return to sports-specific training in nine months after the surgery though this depends on various factors. "It is important not to rush the process but at the same time we do not want to be going too slowly. This all depends on the judgement of the doctor in charge of the rehab process," said Dr Ramlan. "There really is no fixed period where I can say one period (of rehabilitation) ends and one starts. "However, I would be disappointed if we were not able to progress to some conditioning work by the fourth month and by the ninth month or so, he should be able to do some sports-specific conditioning work. "This would mean he would be able to train on court with a programme specifically tailored for him."
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Liu Ying assures Tze Yong on treatment abroad with her story in Germany
PETALING JAYA: There's no denying the capabilities of local specialists, but there's also no harm in seeking the best possible treatment abroad. That's the view of 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist Goh Liu Ying, who believes shuttler Ng Tze Yong could gain valuable insights and experience by undergoing rehabilitation overseas, something she went through herself in 2017. Tze Yong is currently awaiting surgery after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during the Malaysia Masters two weeks ago. Liu Ying, who battled serious injuries to both knees and a shoulder in 2017, was sent to Halle, Germany, by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for treatment. Reflecting on her six-week stint there, Liu Ying said she received high-quality care and was exposed to new rehabilitation techniques that played a key role in her recovery. 'I found their technology to be more advanced, especially in terms of recovery methods,' said Liu Ying when contacted. 'While I was there, I learnt new things, techniques and approaches to rehab that I had never seen in Malaysia.' More importantly, she hopes her experience serves as a reminder to Tze Yong that a serious injury doesn't have to signal the end of a career. "I'm living proof that you can bounce back. It won't be easy, but it's possible." Liu Ying also echoed the advice of badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who had earlier urged Tze Yong to consider seeking top-notch medical care abroad to safeguard his career. However, she cautioned that not every hospital is equipped with sports medicine expertise, and advised careful planning before making a decision. "Not all hospitals offer specialised care for athletes. He should take time to research and choose a facility that has proven experience in treating sports injuries. "In my case, I was in Germany for about a month and a half, and it wasn't easy. For most of the time, I was alone. Only in the first few days did I have a physiotherapist with me. After that, I had to manage on my own until I returned to Malaysia." That, she said, was when mental strength became crucial. "You need to ask yourself why you're going through this surgery. It's because you want to get back on court. So you must stick to the rehab plan and carry it out properly and with full commitment. "If you look at it from a different perspective, it can be a refreshing change, while others are feeling the pressure of competitions, you get to focus solely on your recovery."
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Jonassen to Ng: You're not alone, reach out for help
PETALING JAYA: Please don't hesitate to ask for help. This is singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen's message to injured shuttler Ng Tze Yong. Tze Yong suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the Malaysian Masters last month and is set to undergo surgery again. The 25-year-old only made his comeback in April after more than a year out due to two back surgeries and could be out of action for around nine months. Jonassen acknowledged that Tze Yong, who is currently ranked 199th in the world, has another tough road back and urged his charge to call out for help during his recovery process. 'Tze Yong is not on his own although sometimes it can feel that way for him. My advice for him is to please ask for help during this tough period,' said Jonassen. 'It's not a weakness to ask for help. He needs to remember that it's actually a strength. He needs strong support to cope with this. 'We will help him in any way possible but that's easier said than done because actually at the end of the day it comes down to the athlete.' Despite the difficulty in having to cope with back-to-back long injury layoffs, Jonassen hopes Tze Yong's experience and character will see him make a successful comeback to tournaments. 'In Tze Yong's case, he has some experience dealing with this. Of course it's different dealing with a new injury just after recovering,' said Jonassen. 'He understands the task at hand. Right now, it's about getting ready for the surgery. Then it's believing that post-operation, there's a strong plan on how to get back. 'I think it's step by step instead of looking at nine to 12 months ahead which is too far. Of course it takes a strong character to want to come back after a second injury like this. 'It's a difficult process. When a player is out injured, it's the worst feeling in the world. You feel away from what you want to really do but he has shown in the past that he has the character and mindset to recover which are very important. 'We will give him the best chance to recover fast and come back on court.'
