Lee-ve it to the doc
Norza says Chong Wei’s Malaysian Open return subject to medical result
KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria has told Malaysians not to have high hopes on the much-awaited return of Lee Chong Wei at the Malaysian Open in April.
Norza said Chong Wei’s comeback from an eight-month layoff after undergoing treatment for nose cancer is not certain until he meets with his doctor in Taiwan on Monday.
“My advice to fans is to place a lower expectation on Chong Wei’s participation,” said Norza after a town hall meeting at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara here yesterday.
“Only on Tuesday will we know the decision and from my conversation with Chong Wei, I think we can safely say that we can guarantee his participation in the Sudirman Cup.
“We need to go back to the principle that his health and recovery is of primary importance.
“This is because we want to see him at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, so if we just push him for the Malaysian Open for the sake of selling tickets then we are not putting national interest first.
“So let’s give him the time and space, and he will be back.”
Should he make his return, the 12-time home winner has a tricky first-round draw as he faces world No. 7 K. Srikanth of India.
In the draw on Tuesday, Chong Wei could not have asked for a more difficult start as he was also placed in the same top half with reigning AllEngland champion and top seed Kento Momota of Japan.
Also in the same half is China’s Rio Olympic Games champion Chen Long, Indonesia’s Asian Games gold medallist Jonatan Christie and Denmark’s former world champion Viktor Axelsen.
Chong Wei returned to training in January with an eye on last week’s All-England but had to abort his plans following his doctor’s advice.