Son Wan Ho ruptures Achilles, due for surgery

Malaysia Masters champion Son Wan Ho is due to have surgery on his Achilles tendon and faces an absence of several months from international badminton after he was taken to hospital on Saturday in Miryang, complaining of ankle pain during his match against Lee Hyun Il.

The two former world #1s were playing in a team tie in Miryang as part of the Spring Team Championships, Korea’s 3rd largest annual domestic badminton tournament, which was already keeping all national team players from competing in both the ongoing Tong Yun Kai Cup and next week’s India Open.  After taking a one-game lead, Son Wan Ho (pictured left) stopped the match and video footage posted by local online magazine Badminton Times shows him being taken off court on a stretcher.

Badminton Times cites the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) as saying that the combination of surgery and rehabilitation is expected to take several months.  In January, Son won the Malaysia Masters Super 500, his 3rd major title in two months.  After first round exits at the Indonesia Masters and All England, he was expected to return to Malaysia in early April as the 5th seed in the Malaysia Open Super 750 event.

Son’s injury brings to 3 the number of former world #1 players currently sidelined for medical reasons.  12-time Malaysia Open winner Lee Chong Wei has been battling nose cancer since last summer and recently had his return to international badminton delayed, while three-time World Champion Carolina Marin (pictured right) underwent surgery last month for a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, sustained during the final of the Indonesia Masters.

Son Wan Ho has had a difficult year with injuries.  Last summer, he retired injured from both the Indonesia and Malaysia Opens and pulled out on the eve of the World Championships.  Earlier this month, he cut short his first-round match at the All England with lower back problems.  His recuperation period will certainly cut into the qualification period for the Tokyo Olympics, which begins late next month.  Like Marin and Lee, however, he will have the option of applying for a protected ranking to avoid being relegated to reserve lists upon his return.

Photos: Badmintonphoto (archives)