Malaysia's ruling men's singles world No. 1 badminton player Lee Chong Wei hopes that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) would renew the contract of coach Hendrawan, which is set to expire by the end of this year.

Lee told reporters at an incentives presentation ceremony organized by a Malaysian mobile network operator on Friday that the 44-year-old veteran mentor has guided him to recapture the World No. 1 spot of Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings in just 14 months following his eight-month suspension.

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The three-time Olympic silver medalist also emphasized that the longtime national coach would be a valuable asset in nurturing young players such as Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, according to BadmintonPlanet.

"Hendrawan already been in BAM for 7 years, BAM knows what he can bring to the table. I hope Hendrawan and Tey Seu Bock can remain in the national team and help us form a strong singles team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics." Lee said.

Hendrawan, who is a native of Malang, East Java, Indonesia, is a multi-titled men's singles badminton player. He won the silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and conquered the World Championships that was held in Seville, Spain in 2001 after beating Peter Gade of Denmark in the final round.

Lee, who entered the 2016 Rio Games with high expectations of winning his maiden Olympic gold medal, was so close to making his golden dream a reality.

After his successful matches in the preliminary round, he faced his long-time arch-rival in the badminton world, the two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China in the semifinal stage. Lee mightily outlasted the Chinese superstar and booked a finals matchup with another elite Chinese shuttler, Chen Long.

In the championship round, the former top male badminton player Chen made Lee's quest for an Olympic gold hang in the air as the current world No.2 defeated the Malaysian and gave China another gold medal in the event.

TagsLee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Chen Long, bwf rankings, Rio Olympics 2016, hendrawan