Toh Ee Wei still hoping for World Championships, Asian Games miracle despite knee injury

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Injured national number one mixed doubles shuttler Toh Ee Wei is refusing to completely shut the door on a World Championship title defence in New Delhi and the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Ee Wei, instead, said she is clinging to hope for a miracle despite facing a race against time to recover from a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

“ I can’t confirm it now (World Championships and Asian Games participation). Maybe I need to pray to God to give me a miracle.

“As an athlete, of course I want to play, but the injury happened quite close to the tournament, so there is nothing much I can do,” she told reporters when met at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia, Bukit Kiara, here today.

Ee Wei also said she is still awaiting the magnetic resonance imaging assessment before deciding whether to proceed with surgery. 

Recently, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) confirmed that Ee Wei suffered the injury during the Singapore Open 2026 quarter-finals.

The World Championships will be held in New Delhi from Aug 17-23, while the Asian Games are scheduled from Sept 19 to Oct 4.

Last year, Ee Wei and Chen Tang Jie created history as they became the first Malaysian mixed doubles pair to win the world title when they defeated China’s Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin 21-15, 21-14 in the final in Paris.

Despite trying to stay positive, Ee Wei admitted that the setback had taken an emotional toll on her.

“It’s okay; I think I need to move on and do my best for the recovery and return to the court.

“Everything happened for a reason. Maybe it’s time for me to rest. What I can do is to maintain discipline and follow the instructions of my coach and physiotherapist,” she said.

The 25-year-old has also encouraged Tang Jie to make the most of the opportunity while playing with her replacement for the time being.

Recently, national mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto confirmed that Tang Jie will temporarily be paired with Clarissa San at the China Open in Jiangsu from July 21-26.

Ee Wei also expressed her gratitude to BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and BAM Performance Committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei for their support throughout her recovery process. — Bernama