Latest news with #KennethJonassen
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Ligament injury could sideline Tze Yong for a year
National singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the recent Malaysia Masters. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : National men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong could be out of top-level competition for up to a year after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the recent Malaysia Masters. Badminton Association of Malaysia singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen said Tze Yong is scheduled to undergo surgery, but the date had not been set. 'What I understand is that the stronger you can get before the surgery, the better your recovery will be. Everything we're doing right now is to give him the best chance to have a successful surgery,' he told reporters in Bukit Kiara today. He said there were also some bruises and swelling that need to go away. Jonassen said he is confident that Tze Yong will find inspiration from the experience of Spain's former Olympic champion Carolina Marin, who returned strongly after similar injuries, and make a comeback when the time is right. 'I can't speak for him (about the early retirement question), but from my understanding, he is very motivated to come back. As long as there's motivation, we must follow the path. We're taking inspiration from other top athletes who have managed to bounce back. I believe in Tze Yong's ability and determination,' he added. With Tze Yong's absence, Jonassen revealed plans to strengthen the senior men's singles squad by grooming juniors who are transitioning to the senior level this year. 'It's always a tough blow when one of your best players is out due to injury. But we will keep working hard to develop the next generation,' he said. This morning, the Badminton Association of Malaysia confirmed that Tze Yong will undergo knee surgery after scans revealed the ACL injury. 'It's tough to accept, especially after all the hard work leading up to this point, but I know this is just another challenge to overcome. I'm staying positive, following the prehab plan, and I'm fully focused on coming back stronger. I also want to thank all my fans for the kind messages – it really means a lot to me,' said Tze Yong. Tze Yong has suffered various injuries, including a muscle tear in his back followed by a spinal injury since last year and underwent a long period of rest and rehabilitation before returning to action in the Badminton Asia Championship 2025 in Ningbo, China, in April.
The Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Jonassen game for having top international shuttlers train at ABM
PETALING JAYA: National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen (pic) is open to welcoming top international players train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM), but he also wants the national shuttlers to gain from the opportunity. Unlike the doubles department, which boasts a number of elite pairs ranked in the world's top 10, the men's and women's singles squads currently lack players at that level. This makes it harder for them to get quality sparring partners of world-class calibre. Jonassen is not ruling out the possibility of inviting top players from other countries to train with his squad, especially if they happen to be in Malaysia preparing for a tournament. One such example was the visit by world No. 3 Anders Antonsen of Denmark, who trained in Malaysia several weeks ago ahead of the Singapore Open, which concluded last Sunday. Jonassen made full use of the opportunity, allowing not only the senior players but also junior shuttlers to experience training alongside the Danish star. While Jonassen can share his knowledge and experience as a former top player and respected coach, he believes his players need to witness first-hand the training routines and mentality of world-class shuttlers during actual practice sessions. 'Whenever possible, we try to put together the best line-up to make it work, but I have to say it must be beneficial for us. That's very important. I don't mind giving, but I need to see that there's an upside for our development, not just for the top players but also for the next generation. 'For example, our two young players had about an hour, maybe 75 minutes, on court with Antonsen. That's something you can't buy. You can't just decide you want to spar with the world No. 3. These are the kinds of opportunities we want to create. 'If the timing is right, I would be more than happy to have them (top players) here because there's a lot we can learn from each other. I believe they would also enjoy our training environment. My door and phone is always open for discussions. When everything aligns, we'll make it happen,' said Jonassen. The 50-year-old coach is currently in the midst of rebuilding the men's singles squad, a process that will take time as he aims to guide the players back into the elite ranks of world badminton. The national team's top men's singles player at the moment is Leong Jun Hao, but the world No. 25 is struggling with consistency. Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe are still being groomed for the big stage, while it's another blow for Ng Tze Yong, who has now suffered a knee injury.
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Ng Tze Yong back on court, but not on the clock, says Jonassen as shuttler rebuilds post-surgery
KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — 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. — Bernama
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Back on court, not on the clock, says Jonassen as Ng Tze Yong rebuilds post-surgery
KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — 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. — Bernama
The Sun
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Sudirman Cup exit serves up valuable lessons for M'sian shuttlers
KUALA LUMPUR: National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen believes the 3-0 Sudirman Cup quarter-final loss to China today served as a valuable learning experience for singles shuttlers Leong Jun Hao (men's) and K. Letshanaa (women's), with both showing potential but still having room to grow and refine their game. He said the defeat underscored the importance of rising to world-class standards, learning to vary their shots according to their opponents' styles and improving their speed in decision-making and tactical adaptability during matches. 'I knew it was going to be an uphill battle against China's top players. As coaches, we never stop hoping but today China really showed their strength. 'To say I'm satisfied would be a big word, but I saw a lot of positives. At the same time, there's plenty that still needs sharpening and improvement,' he told Bernama. Meanwhile, national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky feels that the recently reunited mixed pair of Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei still have strong chemistry and the potential to contribute to the national squad. However, he acknowledged there are still areas to work on, particularly Ee Wei's hesitancy at the net during the first game of today's tie against Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, which allowed their China rivals to take control of the match. Rexy also addressed the selection of men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to face former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (in yesterday's Group C match against Japan) instead of Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, who some felt had an advantage. Rexy explained that the decision was left to the coaching team, saying: 'This is a team competition, so I leave it to the coaches to choose who to field. If we had won (against Japan), surely this question would not have cropped up. Malaysia lost 3-2 to Japan in their final Group C match yesterday, with Aaron-Wooi Yik going down 21-12, 20-22, 21-23 to Hoki-Kobayashi. Being runners-up in the group, Malaysia were then drawn to face Group A winners China in the quarter-finals. Malaysia's hopes of reaching the Sudirman Cup semi-finals for a third consecutive time were dashed after they lost 3-0 to China at the Fenghuang Gymnasium in Xiamen today. While Tang Jie-Ee Wei fell 17-21, 17-21 to Yan Zhe-Dong Ping in 49 minutes; Jun Hao was outclassed by Shi Yu Qi 6-21, 14-21; and Letshanaa capitulated 8-21, 7-21 in just 32 minutes to Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei.
