Malaysian women’s doubles ace Pearly Tan received a major boost on Monday after learning her knee injury was not a serious one, with the National Sport Institute (NSI) confirming she would need between four to six weeks to recover.

Tan was forced to concede a walkover at the Japan Open second round with partner M. Thinaah and left the arena on a wheelchair in tears after suffering a left knee injury that she aggravated in the third game.

“Her ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] is okay. She has swelling on the side of her knee. Her meniscus also looks to be okay, but we will continue to observe.

“But she has a hamstring injury, most likely when she tried to compensate in the second or third game. We will address it,” said the ISN doctor who treated the shuttler.

The news should come as a relief for Tan, who could yet feature at the upcoming Denmark Open (October 18-23) and French Open (October 25-30) if she makes a full recovery by then.

Tan and Thinaah had been in great form prior to this setback.

The world number 11 pair won the Commonwealth Games gold last month, and did well to stun world number two pair Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan at the Japan Open first round.

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