PETALING JAYA: She may be down, but she’s definitely not out.
Lai Pei Jing (pic) had to be rushed to hospital in Bangkok after feeling unwell following her first-round match in the ongoing Thailand Open on Wednesday, but the gritty mixed doubles shuttler is adamant she will be able to recover in time for the Singapore Open from June 6-11.
Pei Jing had felt dizzy after she and her partner Tan Kian Meng lost 21-15, 16-21, 16-21 to Taiwan’s top pair Ye Hong-wei-Lee Chia-hsin.
“I felt really sick right after my match. Actually I was already down a day earlier,” revealed Pei Jing via social media.
“I had taken medicine and drank lots of water but seems like it didn’t help much. I had a headache and felt dizzy until I could not even stand and vomited right after my match.
“When I laid down, my whole body was numb and I could not feel anything or control my movement.
“So, the tournament doctor decided to send me to the hospital for a check-up.”
Pei Jing though refused to blame her condition for the defeat.
“This is not the reason that I lost my match,” said Pei Jing.
“I actually felt quite okay during my match and everything was under control. I’m disappointed after the loss but we will keep trying. Now, I need to get a proper rest and go home. See you next week, Singapore.”
The defeat added to Kian Meng-Pei Jing’s woes as the pair have failed to reach any quarter-finals in individual tournaments so far this year.
Their poor form has seen them slide down to No. 18 in the latest world ranking.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing are in danger of being dropped from the Road to Gold (RTG) programme as one of the criteria for inclusion is to maintain a ranking in the top 10.
The pair will be out to bounce back in the Singapore Open but face a tough opening hurdle in the form of South Korea’s world No. 9 Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun.
