PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttler Jimmy Wong is choosing to see a silver lining in his latest injury, after being spared the burden of footing his own medical bills.
The 26-year-old, who only reported for duty with the national squad under the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) on Wednesday (April 15), did not expect his return to be disrupted so soon after he picked up an injury to his right elbow.
Jimmy will be playing with Cheng Su Yin, while his former independent partner Lai Pei Jing is set to pair up with Hoo Pang Ron.
Jimmy first felt discomfort last Saturday, and a subsequent medical assessment revealed a shoulder injury.
While the setback has slightly disrupted his preparations for the Malaysian Masters from May 19-24, Jimmy is relieved that he is now receiving proper treatment under the BAM, with all costs fully covered as a national player.
It marks a stark contrast to his time as an independent player, when he had to rely on personal insurance to cover treatment whenever he was injured.
"I do feel relieved because outside, any medical check-up can be quite costly. I only picked up the injury last week and I am still undergoing recovery.
"I have mixed feelings because I have just rejoined the national squad and now I am dealing with an injury.
"As for treatment costs when I was an independent player, I am not entirely sure, but I was fortunate to have insurance. Without it, it could have been expensive, possibly more than RM1,000 for the whole treatment process," said Jimmy.
He now hopes the medical support within BAM will help him recover in time for the Malaysian Masters.
The Selangor-born is hoping he and Su Yin can quickly strike up a good understanding and begin climbing the world rankings.
During his previous stint with Pei Jing, the pair rose from scratch to world No. 26 within a year.
"My target is to move back up the world rankings as soon as possible. Su Yin is still young, but she is an intelligent player on court," added Jimmy.
