KUALA LUMPUR: Former national women’s doubles shuttler Woon Khe Wei has advised Pearly Tan against taking unnecessary risks by competing in the Asian Badminton Championships in Ningbo, China, on April 8 if she has yet to fully recover from her injury.
Pearly is currently undergoing rehabilitation after twisting her right ankle during a second-round clash against Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti at the All-England last week.
Khe Wei, who won a silver medal in the 2010 edition with Vivian Hoo, is concerned that Pearly might face long-term consequences in her career if she pushed herself too soon.
The 25-year-old has battled a string of injuries, including a hamstring tear in 2022 during the Japan Open that saw her stretchered off the court in a wheelchair. A year later, she suffered a back injury that forced her to withdraw from several international tournaments.
“If Pearly’s injury is serious, especially if it involves a torn ligament, it’s best not to take the risk. I’ve had an ankle ligament tear before, and it’s not something to take lightly,” said Khe Wei.
“At the time, I didn’t think much about it because I just wanted to compete. But I was constantly in pain, and the injury never fully healed.”
“If her situation is similar, I’d advise her to focus on rehabilitation first and only return when she is 100% fit. Otherwise, she risks long-term complications,” added Khe Wei, who also struggled with persistent injuries throughout her career.
In fact, her decision to retire in 2018 was largely due to prolonged knee issues.
“The Asian Championships take place every year, so there will always be another opportunity,” she said.
“In women’s doubles, fitness and endurance are crucial because matches can last over an hour. Pearly must ensure she has fully recovered before stepping back on court.”
If Pearly and her partner, M. Thinaah, decide to withdraw from this year’s edition, the responsibility in women’s doubles will fall on other Malaysian pairs.
Apart from Pearly-Thinaah, the other Malaysian pairs who have qualified are Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing, as well as two young pairs, Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting and Lee Zhi Qing-Tio Sue Xin, who will have to go through the qualifying rounds.
“This is a good opportunity for younger players to step up, as qualifying for the Asian Championships is no easy task,” said Khe Wei.
“The competition is fierce, especially against China and Japan. But if we face Indonesian pairs, I believe the chances are still 50-50, as our strengths are quite evenly matched.”
For this edition, Pearly-Thinaah have been seeded sixth, with the tournament draw set to take place on March 25.
RESULTS
FIRST ROUND (Malaysians only)
Men’s singles: Leong Jun Hao bt Koo Takashahi (Jpn) 21-19, 22-20; Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) bt Justin Hoh 21-7, 21-13.
Women’s singles: Goh Jin Wei bt Pai Yu-po (Tpe) 21-18, 21-12.
Mixed doubles: Wong Tien Cin-Lim Chiew Sien bt Leong Lok Chong- Ng Weng Chi (Mac) 21-14, 21-10; Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie bt Cheng Zhi-ray-Yang Ching-tun (Tpe) 21-8, 21-18.
