PETALING JAYA: Toh Ee Wei’s chances of defending the World Championships mixed doubles title with partner Chen Tang Jie are in serious doubt after she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in her left knee.
The 30th edition of the World Championships is scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India, from Aug 17-23, leaving Ee Wei with less than three months to recover.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) confirmed the injury yesterday following a medical assessment.
“We confirm that Toh Ee Wei sustained a knee injury during her quarter-final match at the Singapore Open last week.
“Subsequent MRI assessment revealed a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee,” said BAM in a statement.
With the World Championships just around the corner, it will be a huge challenge for the 24-year-old to recover in time for the tournament.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei made history in Paris last year by becoming Malaysia’s first mixed doubles world champions after defeating China’s Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin in the final.
However, her hopes of making a timely recovery suffered a setback when she injured her left knee during the Singapore Open quarter-finals against India’s Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto last week.
She and Tang Jie were leading 18-16 in the opening game before disaster struck when she landed awkwardly while attempting to return a shot.
The injury left her in severe pain and she had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair.
Ee Wei-Tang Jie have already withdrawn from this week’s Indonesian Open in Jakarta and are expected to have a clearer picture of her condition after another assessment on Friday.
“Ee Wei is scheduled to undergo a follow-up MRI assessment next Friday, after which BAM’s medical team will determine the next course of treatment and rehabilitation,” added BAM.
ACL injuries typically require surgery, with recovery and rehabilitation taking between six to 12 months.
Among the national players currently recovering from ACL surgery are men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong and women’s doubles player Dania Sofea Zaidi.
Tze Yong underwent surgery at Aspetar Hospital in Doha, which has also treated several world football stars, including Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
However, not all athletes opt for surgery. Men’s doubles player Man Wei Chong, for example, chose a lengthy period of rest and rehabilitation instead of going under the knife.
