Taiwanese badminton star Tai Tzu-ying yesterday confirmed that she would undergo surgery for a knee injury that has troubled her for the past two years.
In an interview with the Central News Agency, Tai said she would first have surgery on her left knee and later assess whether surgery is needed for her right knee.
“I’ve thought about it for a long time, but I still hope to resolve the knee issues for the sake of my future life,” Tai said, adding that she would need to rest for at least a few months after the procedure.
Photo: CNA
The chronic knee injury has disrupted Tai’s participation in Badminton World Federation events this year, with frequent withdrawals.
Although she won the India Open title in January, her knee problems worsened, leading to her elimination during the Paris Olympic qualifiers.
Her condition remained unstable through the summer, forcing her to retire from both the Japan Open semi-final and the Hong Kong Open in the round-of-16.
Since losing at the China Open in September, Tai has been receiving treatment and applied for injury-protected ranking on Oct. 22, enabling her to retain her world No. 5 position.
The application sparked speculation about early retirement after her unexpected announcement in April last year that she plans to retire by the end of this year.
However, Tai’s coach, Lai Chien-cheng, clarified at the time that the main focus is to allow Tai to recover from her injury, and that the injury protection is to avoid unnecessary penalties for missed matches.
