Tze Yong aims to bounce back in Seoul

Ng Tze Yong wants to do well in this week's Korea Open to regain his confidence for the Thomas Cup in Bangkok next month.

Despite sustaining a minor injury that ruled him out of last month's German Open, the world No 45 is entered by the BA of Malaysia (BAM) for the Super 500 Korea Open, which starts today.

For the record, Tze Yong is the only BAM shuttler in Seoul, as the others have returned home after a series of tournaments in Europe, which ended with the Orleans Masters in France on Sunday.

Tze Yong, 22, who is in contention to play third singles in the Thomas Cup, had started the year strongly when he made the semi-finals of the India Open in January before helping Malaysia win the Asia Team title a month later in Shah Alam.

The up-and-coming player, however, withdrew from the German Open last month after picking up a knee injury, and he lost in the second round of the Swiss Open a fortnight ago.

Tze Yong said: "I have recovered from my injury and am in good shape now. I really want to regain my confidence before the Thomas Cup next month.

"I don't want my form to suddenly drop like that, especially ahead of a major event like the Thomas Cup."

Tze Yong will have his work cut out for him in the Korea Open first round as he takes on Finland's No 1 Kalle Kaljonen.

The Malaysian will need to be wary of the 2021 European Championships bronze medallist, who is also a graduate of the vaunted Viktor Axelsen Training Camp in Dubai.

Tze Yong should be able to breathe a sigh of relief if he cleared the first round, as world champion Loh Kean Yew had withdrawn from the competition. Tze Yong was initially slated to face the Singaporean in the second round.

The other Malaysian men's singles in the fray are 2018 World Championships bronze medallist Liew Daren, Cheam June Wei and Soong Joo Ven.

Daren will take on fifth seed K. Srikanth of India in the first round, while June Wei faces another Indian shuttler, H.S.Prannoy.

Joo Ven will take on newly crowned Swiss Open champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in the opening round.