Malaysian men’s doubles player Mohd Haikal Nazri has clarified that his withdrawal from the Swiss Open was due to a legitimate injury, responding to speculation surrounding his absence from the tournament.
Haikal explained that he suffered a right ankle injury, which made it difficult for him to continue competing after the All England Open. According to the shuttler, the issue was particularly worrying because he had already experienced ankle problems twice recently, raising fears that pushing through the pain could make the situation worse.
The 23 year old said the decision to skip the tournament was not taken lightly, but protecting his long term fitness had to be the priority. He admitted that injuries have been a recurring challenge throughout his career, affecting different parts of his body and sometimes requiring medical treatment.
Haikal’s withdrawal also drew attention because his men’s doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi had initially hoped he would continue competing in Basel alongside partner Choong Hon Jian. However, Haikal felt he was not in a condition to play and chose to step aside to avoid aggravating the injury.
The Malaysian pair had been looking to improve their form on the international circuit, but Haikal’s injury forced them to miss the opportunity to compete at the Swiss Open. For now, the focus is on recovery so that he can return to action fully fit for upcoming tournaments.
