KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- Outgoing national men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong will begin his professional career by training with independent player Soong Joo Ven as he focuses on recovering from a string of injuries.
Tze Yong said the move would allow him to focus fully on his recovery, as he is currently training at only 40 to 50 per cent intensity.
"For training, I'll go to Joo Ven's place. So far, I've been able to train there, and I consider Joo Ven my coach," he told reporters after a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara here today.
The 26-year-old said he is now taking a more realistic approach and does not want to rush back to regaining his previous peak form.
"If I had the choice, of course I would want to come back as fast as possible. But I need to respect my body as well. I can't ignore it if my body sends me any signals, so I need to respect my body and keep training.
"Of course I hope to regain my old momentum, but returning to tournaments and returning to peak performance are two different things. It may take time; we don't know," he said.
Commenting on the challenges of turning professional, particularly the high costs involved in his recovery, Tze Yong said he remains positive as the rehabilitation process is progressing according to plan.
He also described his decision to leave the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) as the best move for his career at this stage, following amicable discussions with the national governing body.
Despite choosing to forge his own path, Tze Yong admitted it would be difficult to forget BAM's contributions in shaping him since his teenage years.
Asked about the possibility of training alongside Malaysia's top independent player, Lee Zii Jia, he admitted that his current physical condition does not yet allow him to be a suitable training partner.
Yesterday, BAM said in a statement that it and Tze Yong had mutually agreed to part ways amicably, effective June 30.
Tze Yong reached a career-high world ranking of No. 14 in November 2023 and enjoyed several notable achievements with the national team, including winning the men's singles silver medal and mixed team gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
He also won gold at the 2022 Asian Team Championships and bronze medals at the 2021 and 2023 Sudirman Cup.
However, his progress over the past few years has been hampered by a series of injuries, including a back injury in 2024 and an ACL injury in 2025, both of which required surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
-- BERNAMA
