KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s doubles shuttler Muhammad Haikal Nazri, who suffered a thigh muscle injury during training last December, is targeting a return to competitive badminton in May.
The shuttler, 22, said that he is currently focusing on his rehabilitation process at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) and hopes to resume his partnership with Choong Hon Jian at the 2025 Malaysia Masters, which will be held at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil from May 20-25.
“The injury I sustained is quite serious as I have an eight-centimetre tear in my thigh muscle. So, now I am focusing on my rehab and, for now, there is no need for me to undergo surgery,” he told Bernama.
Meanwhile, he admitted that the injury has affected their world ranking, with Haikal-Hon Jian dropping to the 31st spot.
“I clearly miss playing competitively and I’m challenging myself to recover fast and come back stronger. Hopefully, Hon Jian and I can resume our partnership at the Malaysia Masters,” said Haikal.
Asked about his Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations this year, Haikal said he is glad to be able to spend time with his family in Kelantan.
He added that this year’s celebration would be special as almost all his family members will be back home for the festival.
