Nine months after the setback, Dania steps back onto the court ready to rally towards bigger goals
PETALING JAYA: Returning to competition after a long injury lay-off is never easy, and doubles shuttler Dania Sofea Zaidi knows that all too well.
The 18-year-old admits she is feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as she prepares for her first international tournament after spending nine months on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to her left knee.
Dania will make her comeback at the Philippines International Challenge in Manila today, where she will partner Goh Boon Zhe in the mixed doubles.
The youngster was given the green light to return after making encouraging progress during her rehabilitation.
Her first taste of competitive action came at the National Under-21 Championships leg in Kuantan last month, where she and Tan Zhing Hui exceeded expectations by reaching the girl’s doubles final before losing to Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan-Ong Xin Yee.
“I didn’t expect to reach the final because I just wanted to play well. That was enough for me,” said Dania. “The coaches said my recovery has been progressing well and there was nothing holding me back.
“I’m excited and nervous because it’s been a while since I’ve competed overseas. I’m happy with my performance and my goal now is simply to play my best.”
Dania suffered the ACL injury during the final of the Under-18 Mixed Team Championships in Penang last August, crushing her hopes of making one final appearance at the World Junior Championships in India in October.
A year earlier in Nanchang, she won the girls’ doubles silver medal with Low Zi Yu.
Now back on court in Manila, Dania-Boon Zhe will face Vietnam’s Pham Van Truong-Bui Pich Phuong in the opening round.
Another Malaysian making a return from a long-term injury is Valeree Siow, who will partner Datu Anif Isaar Datu Asrah.
They will take on Thailand’s Phuttimeth Semkunta-Kraita Nakthongtip in the opening round.
Valeree had also been sidelined by a knee injury she suffered while competing in the Malaysian Masters with Yap Roy King in May last year.
