Vietnam Open 2026: Veteran Nguyen Tien Minh Advances, Young Talent Faces Challenges

Ho Chi Minh City – Veteran Nguyen Tien Minh, 43, easily defeated his younger opponent Nguyen Hoang Thai Son in the qualifying round of the Vietnam Open 2026 badminton tournament on September 8. At 43 years old, Tien Minh, ranked 254th in the world, was initially on the reserve list for the Vietnam Open 2026. Following the withdrawal of nearly 20 players, the legendary Vietnamese shuttler learned he would compete in the qualifying rounds held today. His opponent was Nguyen Hoang Thai Son, who is known for his doubles prowess rather than singles. Despite a physical disadvantage, Tien Minh leveraged his experience, flexibility, and effectiveness to secure a comfortable 2-0 victory with scores of 21-12, 21-6 in just 26 minutes. "I was fortunate to play against an opponent who isn't strong in singles, although he has power and speed," shared Tien Minh after the match. "When I step onto the court, I always try to play to the best of my ability, fitting my age and health. Honestly, I don't overthink things. It's difficult to compete in Challenger tournaments, let alone Super 100. Since the tournament is held in Vietnam, I have the opportunity to play close to home, so I participated." In the main draw, the former Vietnamese number one will face Zhe Ying Wu from Taiwan. Tien Minh stated he is not overly concerned about his opponent, considering simply being able to play as the greatest joy. "At this age, my body is very tired, and I often feel like quitting. But after a few days, I find other activities not as enjoyable. I've tried coaching and traveling, but after a short time, I miss badminton, the feeling of being on the court and challenging myself is the most fun," he said. "Therefore, I enjoy every day I can still play. I know I won't be able to play professional men's singles much longer. If I retire from singles, I might try playing doubles." Vietnam's current number one, Nguyen Hai Dang, also had a fortunate opening match against Cheam June Wei of Malaysia. In the first set, the home player played dynamically, perfectly handling difficult shots to win convincingly 21-11. However, in the second set, the Malaysian player showed determination despite an arm injury. Conversely, Hai Dang became impatient to finish and frequently made errors, leading to a 14-21 loss. As the crowd at the Nguyen Du Gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh City anticipated a dramatic third set, Cheam June Wei unexpectedly retired due to arm pain, granting Hai Dang passage to the next round. In another match, Vietnam's second-ranked player, Le Duc Phat, faced Jia Wei Joel Koh of Singapore. He dominated the first set, winning 21-16. Prior to the match, Duc Phat revealed he was suffering from knee and heel injuries. After every break, he had to use pain relief spray to continue playing. His wife, archery athlete Anh Nguyet (in white), watched from the stands, visibly worried for her husband. Pushing through the pain, Duc Phat allowed his opponent to turn the tables, losing the next two sets 11-21, 18-21. The Vietnam Open 2026 is part of the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) Super 100 Tour system, taking place at the Nguyen Du Gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh City from September 8 to 13. The tournament features over 300 players from 27 countries and territories, including many strong athletes ranked high in the world. On September 9, Vietnam's top female player, Nguyen Thuy Linh, will make her debut in the first round, facing 19-year-old Chinese player Xu Wen Jing. By Duc Dong