KUALA LUMPUR: After six consecutive weeks of action, it shows that Ng Tze Yong is human after all.
Tze Yong, who scaled a career-best world No. 15 this week, crashed out in the last 16 of the Hylo Open in Germany after being beaten by the unlikeliest of opponent, Jan Louda, a world No. 49 of Czech Republic.
On paper, Malaysian fans would probably find it hard to accept that a player of Tze Yong's stature could lose to an unheralded European, let alone being whipped 21-10, 21-7.
Interestingly, it was not the first time Tze Yong had lost to Louda as he was also defeated during the Czech Open two years ago.
But to be fair to Tze Yong, playing in his 16th match in 36 days, since he played in the team event of the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept 28, was no easy feat.
That doesn't include a gruelling journey across five countries - China, Finland, Denmark, France and Germany.
Even Louda admitted that he did not beat the best version of Tze Yong.
Speaking to Badminton Europe after the match, Louda said: "Of course, he's not an easy opponent, he's the No. 17 (No. 15) in the world. I knew that I'd have my chance because he was playing in his fourth (fifth) tournament in a row.
"So it was physically tough for him. So I just wanted to push, do my best and I'm happy to win."
It was still very much a fruitful trip for Tze Yong, who made two breakthroughs, first by reaching his first World Tour final at the Arctic Open before finishing runner-up to Lee Zii Jia and secondly, made it to his maiden Super 750-level semi-finals in Paris last week.
Malaysia's challenge at the Super 300 tournament this week has been wiped out following the exits of independent pairs - Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi in the men's doubles and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing in the mixed doubles.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi lost 21-12, 21-19 to China's Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi, Soon Huat-Shevon went down 21-13, 21-14 to Hong Kong's Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet and Kian Meng-Pei Jing were bested 16-21 21-19, 21-16 by Dutch duo Robin Tabeling-Selena Piek.
The early round elimination summed up a bad week for Soon Huat-Shevon and Kian Meng-Pei Jing as they had also been relieved from the Road to Gold programme.