KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — National men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong has been advised to seek support and not go through his recovery journey alone, following confirmation that he will undergo surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen said that while Ng is mentally strong, it is important for him to know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to the athlete. Please always ask for help. When you’re there, you’re not on your own. But sometimes it can feel that you’re there on your own with your own issue and those things. Do reach out.

“It’s not a weakness to ask for help. For sure, we’ll be there monitoring all the way,” he told reporters when met at a training session here today.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), in a statement on Friday, confirmed that Ng, 25, was forced to retire from his opening-round match against Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long at the Malaysia Masters last month due to knee pain.

BAM said a thorough medical examination and magnetic resonance imaging have since confirmed a torn ACL requiring surgical intervention.

Despite the setback, Ng, in the same statement, said he is optimistic and committed to his rehabilitation journey.

Jonassen said it is important for the 2022 Commonwealth Games men’s singles silver medallist to focus on the recovery process one step at a time.

“Of course, it takes a strong character to want to come back, and that’s why I believe he has the ability to do so,” he said.

Previously, Ng has suffered various injuries, including a muscle tear in his back and a spinal injury last year.

He underwent a long period of rest and rehabilitation before returning to action in the Badminton Asia Championship 2025 in Ningbo, China, in April. — Bernama