Sidelined by injury, Ee Wei hopes for miracle ahead of world title defence

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s number one mixed doubles shuttler Toh Ee Wei is refusing to shut the door on a World Championship title defence in New Delhi and the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

She said she was 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 at Akademi Badminton Malaysia, Bukit Kiara, here today.

Ee Wei also said she was awaiting an MRI assessment before deciding whether to proceed with surgery.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) recently 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 to 23, while the Asian Games are scheduled to run from Sept 19 to Oct 4.

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

Ee Wei said she was trying to stay positive but 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 recovery and return to the court.

“Everything happens 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 encouraged Tang Jie to make the most of the opportunity while playing with her replacement for the time being.

National mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto previously confirmed that Tang Jie would be temporarily paired with Clarissa San at the China Open in Jiangsu from July 21 to 26.

Ee Wei also expressed her gratitude to BAM president Tengku Zafrul Aziz and performance committee chairman Lee Chong Wei for their support throughout her recovery process.