National men’s doubles shuttler Haikal Nazri is undergoing psychological support to overcome mental hurdles following a five-month layoff due to a hip injury. Since returning, Haikal and his partner Choong Hon Jian, ranked world No. 47, have struggled with early exits in five consecutive tournaments.
Coach Herry IP confirmed Haikal is working with the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s in-house psychologist to rebuild his confidence. Herry emphasized that recovery varies for each player and noted that Haikal still needs time to adjust both mentally and tactically to new training methods.
He acknowledged that while top pairs like Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are thriving, Haikal and Hon Jian require more detailed guidance and patience to close the gap on the elite.
