Kuala Lumpur: The dream of Malaysia’s men’s singles player, Ng Tze Yong, to make an impact on home turf was marred by a back injury suffered during a smash shot, leading to his withdrawal from the first round of the PETRONAS Malaysian Open 2024 on Wednesday.
The world No. 15 player could only step onto the court for 13 minutes before deciding to withdraw while trailing 8-12 in the first set against Japanese player Koki Watanabe at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.
Highlights of Ng Tze Yong vs. Koki Watanabe in 2024 Malaysia Open first round:
“When I performed the smash just now, I felt a sharp pain in my back, and it’s still very painful now.”
“As soon as I hit the smash, my back cramped, and I couldn’t move comfortably,” Ng explained after the match.
The unfortunate incident occurred when the score was tied at 7-7, and both players fiercely contested for the eighth point.
Ng, seeing an opportunity to gain an advantage, unleashed a powerful ‘smash.’ However, he was visibly in pain as he uncomfortably responded to Watanabe’s net shot, conceding the eighth point to his opponent.
Trailing 7-8, Tze Yong walked out of the court in discomfort before seeking permission from the referee for treatment.
After receiving treatment, he resumed the game until the break before deciding to withdraw while trailing 8-12.
According to Ng, he had never experienced a back injury before.
“Such injuries are certainly not what a player desires,” said the runner-up of the Arctic Open in Finland.
Uncertain about whether he will compete in the India Open from January 16 to 21, Ng underwent physical training aimed at improving the player’s fitness level, impulsiveness, explosiveness, aerobic, and anaerobic endurance.
This decision means that there are no more Malaysian representatives in the men’s singles event in this tournament, as Lee Zii Jia was also eliminated in the first round after a defeat to Chinese representative Lu Guang Zu on Tuesday.
