All England: An Injury Scare, A Passing Cloud
It was a fleeting moment, but sometime during the second round match of the YONEX All England 2024 between Michelle Li and Mia Blichfeldt, a passing cloud briefly brought to focus concerns bigger than a win or loss.
· DEV SUKUMAR
With Li leading a game and 17-14, Blichfeldt slipped on court and stayed down for a while. A worried Li walked up to the net, concerned about her opponent’s wellbeing. This is not an uncommon sight in badminton, but Li has first-hand experience of how terrible injury can be.
The Canadian herself is coming back after an injury layoff. She’d had meniscus tear on her right knee last August which needed surgery, spent over four months recovering, and had to rush her return in January as it was an Olympic year.
Nor was this an isolated case. After the 2016 Olympics it took her a year to return to the circuit after surgeries to her hip and knee.