Hendrawan: A long hard road ahead for Chong Wei
Chong Wei’s goal to continue until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be a true test of character for the former World No 1.
National singles coach Hendrawan is aware of the huge task at hand to get Chong Wei back to his best, both mentally and physically.
Hendrawan said the situation is different from when Chong Wei served an eight-month ban for doping in 2015.
“It will be a tougher challenge for Chong Wei and myself as he is getting older,” said Hendrawan.
“I am not worried about his skill or technique, Chong Wei is one of the best players in the world and he has the experience. He will not lose those.
“The toughest part is to get him back to a high performance level. Chong Wei will go through a tough time when he returns.
“I will discuss with Misbun Sidek (head coach) regarding his programme. He still needs to compete in tournaments to collect qualifying points for the Olympics.”
Chong Wei made it clear in a special press conference last week that he intends to keep playing until the 2020 Olympics.
He also announced at the same press conference that he has been declared free of nose cancer.
The three-time Olympic silver medallist is still in a recovery phase and will need clearance from his doctors before he can return to the court.
He also needs to undergo follow-up treatments every three months.
Chong Wei is expecting to make his return at the All England in March.
“I am not thinking about when he can return to playing. Let him rest and recover,” added Hendrawan. “We will discuss with him his programme when he returns. But based on his press conference, I believe he still has that burning desire and that is something positive.”