KUALA LUMPUR — National men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong is set to undergo anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery in Europe, Scoop has learned.
According to a source close to the matter, the decision was made at the player’s request following the injury he sustained during the first round of the Super 500 Malaysia Masters last month.
Scoop previously reported that Malaysian badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei, along with former mixed doubles ace Goh Liu Ying, had advised the 25-year-old to seek specialist treatment in Germany to give his career the best chance of recovery.
Tze Yong had only just returned to the circuit this year after being sidelined for over 12 months due to a lower back injury suffered in January 2024, which required two surgeries. He managed to compete in just four tournaments before this latest setback.
Unfortunately for the Johor-born shuttler, he will not be eligible to apply for a protected ranking with the Badminton World Federation (BWF), as players are only allowed to apply once every two years under the current rules.
Nonetheless, this is not seen as a major concern. Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen has emphasised that a full recovery is the top priority.
“Tze Yong has requested to have his surgery done in Europe, possibly in Germany or Spain. It’s now just a matter of finalising the logistics,” said the source.
Recovery from an ACL injury typically takes between nine months and a year, or even longer. However, a successful comeback is possible.
Spanish star Carolina Marin, a former Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion, returned to elite competition after two knee surgeries and is currently recovering from a third. — June 18, 2025