KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s singles shuttler Justin Hoh admits to being apprehensive when stepping onto the court after suffering a series of unfortunate injuries this year.
The 19-year-old suffered a serious injury in April when he ruptured his Achilles tendon. After undergoing surgery, he was out for eight months, which forced him to skip the Cambodia SEA Games in May and most of the 2023 season.
The former Asian junior champion returned to action but received another setback after suffering a tear at the bottom of his foot during competition at the Guwahati Masters in India earlier this month.
However, Justin, who is currently ranked 67th in the world, is aiming to break into the top 32 next year so that he can compete in bigger tournaments, citing the fact that staying fit will be the key in reaching this target.
“I’m disappointed that I’m injured again, but this is a minor injury and it won’t take long to recover from it. After returning home from India, there are no more tournaments, and that adds to my disappointment as well.
“I do feel a little trepidation when getting back into training, but my recovery is going well. So far, it has not stopped me from getting back into the swing of things.
“For the next season, I hope to avoid injuries and break into the top 32 in the world because that will help my qualifications for bigger tournaments.
“I will start my season at the Thailand Masters at the end of next month and hope to start my effort to climb up the rankings there,” he told reporters at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara today. – December 29, 2023