Matsutomo and Takahashi were recognised for a superb series of displays throughout the duration of the season at the BWF Players of the Year Awards Gala, which proceeds this week’s Dubai World Superseries Finals.

The pairing top the women’s doubles rankings and claimed gold at Rio 2016, with their Olympic final victory over Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl providing the highlight of their year.

Matsutomo and Takahashi also became the first Japanese women’s doubles players to win the All England Open since 1978, while they secured a further three Superseries titles in India, Indonesia and Japan.

They saw off competition from their fellow doubles pairing of Pedersen and Juhl, as well as Nozomi Okuhara of Japan and Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon.

Malaysian world number one Lee secured the men’s title for a fifth time, having been the recipient of the honour in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

He earned three Superseries titles in 2016, including his 11th Malaysia Masters, a record equalling sixth Indonesian Open and a fourth Japan Open crown.

Lee would also triumph at the Badminton Asia Championships, but would fall agonisingly short of earning his first Olympic title at Rio 2016.

The Malaysian star would be forced to settle for a third consecutive silver medal when he was beaten in straight games by China’s Chen Long.

Chen was one of the nominees for the men’s award, with China’s men’s doubles Olympic champions Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan, Malaysia's Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong having also been nominated.

After finishing top of the Destination Dubai rankings, Denmark’s Jan Jørgensen was also a contender for the award.

"Congratulations to all tonight’s winners," said Gustavo Delgado, BWF deputy-president.

"The players are the centre of our sport and we appreciate your sacrifice, hard work and dedication each season to excel and show the world just how amazing badminton is.

"We are pleased that with our hosts in Dubai, we can roll out the red carpet to those of you who have qualified to compete here this week."

India's Pusarla V Sindhu was awarded the Most Improved Player Award, which was presented for the first time.

Sindhu impressed throughout the Rio 2016 Olympics where she claimed silver in the women’s singles event, while the 21-year-old also triumphed at the China Open.

Each of the Olympic champions were also presented with an award during the evening in recognition of their achievements at Rio 2016.

China’s rising doubles star Chen Qingchen was named the recipient of the Most Promising Player of the Year honour, with the 19-year-old having won two mixed and a pair of women’s doubles Superseries titles throughout the year.

This included winning both the mixed and women’s doubles at the French Open, alongside Zheng Siwei and Jia Yifan respectively.

France's Lucas Mazur and Karin Suter-Erath won the Male and Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year honours.

Triple European champion Mazur had faced competition from Germany’s wheelchair player Thomas Wandschneider, Bartlomiej Mroz of Poland and Lee Sam Seop of South Korea.

Suter-Erath saw off the challenge of Germany’s Katrin Seibert, Emine Seckin of Turkey and Thailand’s Amnouy Wetwithan for the women’s award.

Denmark's Viktor Axelsen and Woon Khe Wei of Malaysia were announced as the best dressed players in a light-hearted conclusion to the evening.

Both players will now begin the serious task of preparing for the Dubai World Superseries Finals, which will take place from December 14 to 18 at the Hamdan Sports Complex.