PETALING JAYA: Amid an injury crisis affecting several key players, the national team can breathe a sigh of relief as mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin are expected to be fully fit for the Kumamoto Masters, which begins next week.
National mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto hinted that the world No. 19 pair will feature in Japan after Su Yin showed encouraging signs of recovery from her ankle injury.
She has also resumed full training after previously taking time off for rehabilitation.
“Su Yin is okay now. She has started full training, and I’ve personally asked if she still feels any pain, and she said no. So most likely, she will be able to compete in Kumamoto,” said Nova.
Su Yin sustained the ankle injury during the first round of the Korean Open in September against Thailand’s Ruttanaak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat.
Although she was unable to overcome the Thai pair, Su Yin bravely completed the match despite being in pain.
The injury, however, worsened and forced her and Pang Ron to withdraw from three European tournaments – the Denmark Open, French Open and Hylo Open – last month.
Earlier, compatriots Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei also withdrew from the Kumamoto Masters as Tang Jie has yet to fully recover from a right shoulder injury.
Women’s doubles pair Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing have also pulled out after Pei Kee sustained an ankle injury during the Hylo Open last week.
Meanwhile, world No. 2 men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have decided to skip the tournament to give themselves time to rest, both physically and mentally, after being subjected to cyberbullying from irresponsible parties.
