10 things you need to know about Misbun Sidek

MANY are thrilled when the badminton legendary, Datuk Misbun Sidek decided to come back to Badminton Assosiation of Malaysia (BAM).

Local sport enthusiasts believe the move would give a new hope for the national badminton team to stay on the top of the world.

Here are 10 things you need to know about Misbun:

1. Misbun was actively involved in international badminton courts with other siblings Razif, Jalani, Rahman and Rashid. They known as the "Sidek Brothers."

2. He was trained to play badminton by his father, Datuk Sidek Abdullah Kamar at the age of seven at their house in Banting.

3. When he was 18-years-old, he was selected to join Malaysia’s Thomas Cup training squad.

4. He won his first title on the international tournament at the 1981 German Open.

5. Misbun’s last title was the Runner-up of Thomas Cup 1988, after losing in the finals to China.

6. In 1989, Misbun decided to retire at the age of 29.

7. Misbun become the national team men’s singles coach from 2003 until 2010.

8. Misbun was responsible for grooming Malaysia's top shuttler Lee Chong Wei who has an illustrious career in the sport, being the first ever men's singles player to have won all Super Series titles and winning prestigious titles including two silver medals in the Olympics and three All-England titles.

9. Misbun unexpectedly quit as the national singles coach at the end of 2010 and turned down the BAM's offer to be the head coach of the national team three years later (2013) due to ''personal reasons’’.

10. Misbun and his family’s life was published in a biographical comic book, entitle “Anak-Anak Sidek” in 1995, three years after Malaysia won the Thomas Cup.