Having played little international badminton recently, 42-year-old Nguyen Tien Minh, ranked 362nd in the world, began his tournament in the qualifying rounds. His opponent was 17-year-old Indian player Orijit Chaliha, ranked 309th. The difference in fitness was evident from the start of the first set.
Despite Minh's initial 3-0 lead, Chaliha switched tactics, engaging Minh in longer rallies to test his endurance. The Indian player leveled the score, then pulled ahead to reach set point at 20-18.
Minh saved both set points. However, two well-placed shots from Chaliha gave the young player the set, 22-20.
In the second set, Minh showed resilience, forcing errors from Chaliha with clever drop shots and skillful placement. The former Vietnamese number one maintained his advantage to win the set 21-18.
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Nguyen Tien Minh during his Vietnam Open 2025 qualifying match on 9/9 at Nguyen Du Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Da Ban |
Nguyen Tien Minh during his Vietnam Open 2025 qualifying match on 9/9 at Nguyen Du Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Da Ban
The exertion of the second set took its toll on Minh in the deciding third set. He struggled to keep up with Chaliha’s continued energetic play and lost 21-18, ending his tournament run.
Meanwhile, Minh’s wife, Vu Thi Trang, had an impressive day. Trang, ranked 131st, started against Indian player Aashi Rawat. She quickly lost the first set 21-15 but rallied to win the second 21-17. In the third set, her opponent led 14-11. However, with a 9-point run, the Bac Giang native surged ahead to 20-14, eventually securing victory at 21-15.
In her second match, Trang faced Liang Ka Wing of Hong Kong, winning the first set 21-15. Despite losing the second set 21-12, encouraged by the home crowd, Trang's experience shone through as she dominated the final set, winning 21-8 to advance to the main draw.
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Vu Thi Trang excels in the Vietnam Open 2025 qualifiers on 9/9 at Nguyen Du Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Da Ban |
Vu Thi Trang excels in the Vietnam Open 2025 qualifiers on 9/9 at Nguyen Du Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Da Ban
The Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open 2025 takes place at Nguyen Du Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, from 9/9 to 14/9. Part of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 100 series, the tournament boasts a total prize pool of 110,000 USD. The winners of the men's and women's singles will each receive 8,250 USD, while the winners of the men's, women's, and mixed doubles will each receive 8,690 USD.
The tournament has attracted 295 players from 20 countries and territories. Taiwan has the largest delegation, with 68 players. The tournament also features highly ranked female players such as: Lalinrat Chaiwan (Thailand, 43rd), Tanvi Sharma (India, 45th), and Aakarshi Kashyap (India, 46th).
The men's singles draw includes several players ranked within the top 100 globally, including: Takuma Obayashi (Japan, 45th), Chico Wardoyo (Indonesia, 46th), Sathist Kumar (India, 49th), Nguyen Hai Dang (62nd), and Le Duc Phat (83rd).
The most anticipated Vietnamese player is Nguyen Thuy Linh, the current three-time defending women's singles champion. Ranked 18th in the world and the tournament's top seed, she aims for a 4th consecutive title.
Linh will play her first match tomorrow, 10/9, against Liang Ting Yu, ranked 68th in the world.
Duc Dong
