Arif’s ankle trouble just a minor problem but he will stay on guard

PETALING JAYA: National men’s doubles shuttler Wan Arif Wan Junaidi is feeling a sense of relief following the diagnosis of his injury as a minor one and he is raring to go all out to make up for the training he missed.

The 21-year-old Arif was progressing rapidly in his partnership with Yap Roy King before he injured his right ankle in training last month.

He heaved a huge sigh of relief when the doctor said his injury was not serious.

He made the right decision by making full use of the five-day break that he and the team were given to focus on his recovery before returning to his normal training routine almost a fortnight ago.

However, Arif is still afraid of jumping and it is important for him to overcome the fear as soon as possible.

“I consulted a doctor and it was nothing serious. The injury might be caused by muscle tightness.

“I still feel a little bit of pain but my recovery is going well,’’ he said.

“I have started my normal training routine but I am still afraid of jumping.”

Arif started combining with Roy King in February after a reshuffle in the men’s doubles department and they have shown steady improvement.

The duo crowned their first title together at the Nantes International Challenge in June before capturing the National Championships title last month.

A string of consistent results has seen them climb to No. 84 in the world rankings.

Arif was initially worried that his injury might hamper their progress but judging from his current form, he might be fully recovered by the time they compete in the Indonesian International Challenge in Medan from Aug 29-Sept 3.

“I can’t fully let my guard down yet because it took me almost one month to recover before returning to my normal training routine,” said Arif.

“During that recovery period, I was itching to get back on the court and train because all I could do was watch my teammates train.”