Zulfadli’s ankle injury costs him chance for first senior title

Reigning world junior champion Zulfadli Zulkifli missed the opportunity to notch his first senior title as an unfortunate ankle injury cost him dear in the final of the Maldives International Badminton Challenge on Sunday.

He will now skip the Thailand Open GP Gold, which starts in Bangkok today, on doctor’s advice.
The 19-year-old Zulfadli, who created history by becoming the first Malaysian to win the world juniors last year, has yet to make the transition to the senior level.
He was selected as part of the Malaysia B team for the Axiata Cup in March but did not really convince the doubters that he could be a successor to world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei.
In Maldives, world No. 113 Zulfadli put up a strong showing to set up a showdown with India’s K. Srikanth and looked to be on course for his first-ever senior title.
But Zulfadli twisted his right ankle in the first game while leading 6-2. He eventually succumbed 21-13, 11-21, 16-21.
“It’s really disappointing because this could have been my first senior success.
“It’s really unfortunate that I twisted my ankle at such a crucial moment,” he said in a text message.
“I was actually playing well and feeling confident. Despite getting some treatment during the match, the pain was just too much in the end.
“Now my ankle is heavily bandaged and the doctors have told me to give it a rest, which is why I have withdrawn from the Thailand Open.”
The lanky KLRC shuttler will certainly rue missing the Bangkok tournament, which is shorn of several top players who are preparing for the London Olympics.
Zulfadli was initially supposed to face Srikanth in the first round and a win would have pitted him against top seed Lin Dan of China.
Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s singles will be led by fourth seed Mohd Hafiz Hashim, eighth seed Chong Wei Feng, Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Iskandar Zulkarnian Zainuddin, Chan Kwong Beng, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Goh Soon Huat, Soong Joo Ven and Loh Wei Sheng.
Courtesy of The Star