logo
The two reasons behind Pearly-Thinaah's smashing run

The two reasons behind Pearly-Thinaah's smashing run

KUALA LUMPUR: What are the factors that led to Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah's remarkable run on the World Tour over the last four weeks?
National women's doubles head coach Rosman Razak has offered two reasons: tactical changes and great on court communication.
Pearly-Thinaah won the Thailand Open, reached the Malaysia Masters semi-finals and Singapore Open quarter-finals. And on Sunday, they nearly toppled China's mighty Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning in the Indonesia Open final.
They lost 23-25, 21-12, 21-19 in 87 minutes, but Pearly-Thinaah had the world No. 1 against the ropes, and could have delivered the knockout blow.
The Jakarta result was significant for Pearly-Thinnah as it was their first Super 1000 final, in a World Tour major event. In fact, their world ranking is set to rise a rung, to No. 3 after this, the highest in their careers.
The tactical changes mentioned by Rosman are that Pearly-Thinaah's game has become more aggressive amid a more positive mindset.
"There have been tactical changes in their play, and their excellent communication with each other on court have helped them come out of pressure cooker situations," said Rosman.
"We have been trying new tactics and they have brought positive outcome. But we need to fine tune them."
But off court, Pearly-Thinaah have another issue to deal with — their protracted contract negotiation with the BA of Malaysia (BAM). They may not want to sign a contract extension with the national association but turn professional instead.
Under Rosman, the pair have been showing progress, but to remain under him, they will have to stay with BAM.
Pearly-Thinaah are expected to meet BAM's top management next week for contract talks.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Leave no stone unturned when treating Tze Yong, says Dr Ramlan
Leave no stone unturned when treating Tze Yong, says Dr Ramlan

New Straits Times

time2 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."

Liu Ying assures Tze Yong on treatment abroad with her story in Germany
Liu Ying assures Tze Yong on treatment abroad with her story in Germany

The Star

time2 hours 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."

Rosman stays put to produce women's doubles champs
Rosman stays put to produce women's doubles champs

The Star

time11 hours ago

  • The Star

Rosman stays put to produce women's doubles champs

Great show: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah in action against China's Li Jiying-Luo Xumin during their semi-final match at the Indonesian Open. — AP PETALING JAYA: National women's doubles head coach Rosman Razak is not planning to jump ship but will stick with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Rosman is fully aware of his task and he aims to remain firm in his objective of guiding all the shuttlers under his care until 2028 regardless of any decision made by his players to turn professional. Currently, his top pair and world No. 3 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah have yet to sign a contract with the BA of Malaysia and there is a possibility that they could turn independent. Rosman is not letting his charges' ongoing unresolved contract distract him from his task at hand. 'Whatever the outcome of Pearly-Thinaah's contracts, I can't afford to think about this as it will affect me too,' said Rosman after overseeing a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara yesterday. 'I don't know the future but as long as they are training under me, I will do my best to guide them and keep working hard towards the biggest goal which is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 'BAM hired me for this and my responsibility is not just towards Pearly-Thinaah but also the other women's doubles pairs in the team.' Despite the contract issue, Rosman did well to guide Pearly-Thinaah to a runners-up finish in the recent Indonesian Open. The pair made it into their first ever World Tour Super 1000 final before going down fighting 25-23, 12-21, 19-21 to China's world No. 1 Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning. 'Pearly-Thinaah did not win the title but I'm happy with their performance in this tournament,' said Rosman. 'It's a good breakthrough for them and also a boost for the entire women's doubles department. I hope they can maintain their form. 'For me, it's normal for players to go through ups and downs. We need to support them more when they are struggling than when they are winning.' Pearly-Thinaah will next compete in the back-to-back Japan Open (July 15-20) and China Open (July 22-27).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store