Thai Rising Star Sarunrak Vitidsarn Crowned Vietnam Open Women's Singles Champion

In the Vietnam Open 2026 women's singles final, Thailand's Sarunrak Vitidsarn, an unseeded player, secured the championship title with a dominant performance, not dropping a single set throughout the tournament. She defeated India's Isharani Baruah, seeded third, in straight sets. The Nguyen Du Gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh City was packed with spectators on the afternoon of September 13 for the finals, even though no Vietnamese players reached the championship match. The 20-year-old Sarunrak Vitidsarn, in particular, received considerable support from the crowd. She is also known as the younger sister of the renowned male player Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the 2023 World Champion, a silver medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and a former world number one. Due to a surgery for an injury, Sarunrak did not compete in 2025, causing her to drop to 106th in the world rankings and miss out on a seeding for the Vietnam Open. Consequently, she had to compete from the qualifying rounds, successively overcoming many strong opponents, including defeating the top-seeded Indian player Sharma 2-0 in the semifinals. With an energized mindset, Sarunrak entered the match confidently against the third seed. The Thai "hotgirl" displayed soft, delicate shots, often drawing her opponent close to the net before unleashing sharp, decisive smashes. She quickly established a 4-0 lead, extending it to 6-2. Capitalizing on her opponent's lack of confidence, occasional errors, and poor court feel, Sarunrak consistently scored points to win the first set decisively, 21-8. In the second set, Baruah showed improved play, engaging in a point-for-point struggle. Baruah is currently ranked 37th in the world. However, the Thai player remained calm, handled the rallies skillfully, and used her court coverage to build a lead of 11-8. Gaining momentum, Sarunrak pulled away to secure a commanding lead and won the second set 21-15, marking her first-ever Vietnam Open title. This was also her first tournament in the Super 100 series. Sarunrak previously won a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Championships and a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in 2024. She also heads a fan club for her brother, Kunlavut. The Vietnam Open 2026 is part of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Tour Super 100 and took place at the Nguyen Du Gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh City from September 8 to 13. The tournament featured over 300 players from 27 countries and territories, including many strong athletes with high world rankings. The total prize money for the event was $120,000, with the singles champions each receiving $9,000. The doubles champions received $9,480.