Pang Ron pleads to stay with injured partner Su Yin
KUALA LUMPUR: Mixed doubles shuttler Hoo Pang Ron believes he and partner Cheng Su Yin should stick together but says the final decision lies with the national coaches.
The world No. 13 have struggled with both form and fitness in recent months, with Su Yin sidelined by a hamstring injury sustained at the Thailand Open last month.
The injury forced them to withdraw from three major tournaments — the Malaysia Masters, Singapore Open and Indonesia Open.
However, their dip in form began even before Su Yin's setback.
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Since reaching the final of the China Masters last November — their career-best showing — Pang Ron-Su Yin have suffered five first-round exits in nine tournaments this year.
Their best performances this year were quarter-final finishes at the Orleans Masters and Indonesia Masters.
"I don't think we should split," said Pang Ron.
"But of course, if the coaches or management feel it's necessary to make changes, then who knows."
The 27-year-old admitted he's been disappointed with their performances since their breakthrough in China.
"Our level dropped after the China Masters. Maybe other pairs have started to analyse and figure out our game."
For now, Pang Ron says Su Yin's recovery remains the top priority, with their participation in the Japan Open (July 15-20) still up in the air.
"She's coming back slowly. We're not rushing things because it could worsen the injury. We're taking it step by step. Nothing is confirmed yet," he said.
More than just tactics, Pang Ron believes a mental reset is vital to bounce back.
"The most important thing is our mindset. We've made a final before, but since then, we've had too many early exits.
"Maybe it's time to start from scratch."
He added that they're actively working with the coaching team to improve.
"We're discussing how to get better. We need more variation in our gameplay as just doing the same things isn't enough."
Despite the setbacks, Pang Ron views the break as a much-needed chance to regroup.
"This could be a blessing in disguise. We hadn't been winning for a while, and mentally we were down. Hopefully, this time off helps us reset and come back stronger."
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