KUALA LUMPUR: Men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong will have to go through another round of surgery to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury sustained during his first round match at the Malaysian Masters last month. 

Despite the knee injury setback, which was announced by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) on Friday (June 6), Tze Yong remains optimistic and committed to his rehabilitation journey.

The 25-year-old Tze Yong was forced to retire from the match against Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long due to pain in his knee

“It’s tough to accept, especially after all the hard work leading up to this point, but I know this is just another challenge to overcome," said Tze Yong.

It will be his third surgery in 18 months. He went through surgery for back twice last year after injuring during the Malaysian Open in January. 

"I’m staying positive, and I’m fully focused on coming back stronger. I want to thank BAM, National Sports Institute (ISN) and everyone on the medical and coaching teams for their constant support and care. Thank you also to all the fans for your kind messages - it really means a lot to me.

The BA of Malaysia confirmed that Tze Yong had to undergo knee surgery after scans revealed a torn ACL, requiring surgical intervention following a thorough medical examination.

He is currently undergoing prehabilitation (prehab) to strengthen the knee and surrounding muscles ahead of the scheduled surgery.

“This is a difficult moment for Tze Yong, but he is mentally strong and focused on the recovery process," said Kenneth Jonassen, BAM’s director of singles.

"Our medical and coaching teams are working closely with him to ensure he gets the best care possible. We will support him every step of the way, both on and off court."