
Down again: National men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong suffers leg injury while playing against Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long in the first round of the Malaysian Masters at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
PETALING JAYA: So close, yet denied by injury.
Men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong’s wait for his first win of the year continues after he was forced to retire during his opening round match against Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long at the Malaysian Masters on Wednesday (May 21).
Playing at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, the 25-year-old got off to a promising start by taking the first game 22-20.
But disaster struck early in the second game when a misstep led to a right knee injury.
Tze Yong attempted to carry on but was clearly in pain and eventually had to concede the match while leading 4-3.
The Malaysian had only just returned to competition at the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China in early April after a recurring back injury had sidelined him for nearly a year.
The Malaysian Masters was his fourth tournament of the year following the Taiwan Open and Thailand Open, all of which ended in first round exits.
It was at the Malaysian Open last year in January, here at the same venue, when Tze Yong hurt his back and that saw him going through two surgeries.