Lin Hsiang-ti, 27, a leading Taiwanese player, currently ranks 17th globally, nine spots above Thuy Linh. She has a strong record, including victories at the Slovenia International in 2022 and the Ruichang China Masters in 2023. Recently, she advanced to the semifinals of the Swiss Open, a tournament where Thuy Linh exited in the second round.

Badminton player Nguyen Thuy Linh struggled to defeat Lin Hsiang-ti 2-1 in her opening match at the Orleans Masters badminton tournament in France on the afternoon of 18/3. Photo: Badminton photo

Despite her lower ranking, Thuy Linh held a significant advantage in their head-to-head encounters, having won three of their four previous matches. Their familiarity was evident from the start of the first set, with both players trading points and leads. Lin Hsiang-ti favored loose shots, net play, and clears, while Thuy Linh adopted a more aggressive approach, utilizing powerful smashes and agile footwork.

After an initial close contest, the Vietnamese player broke ahead to establish an 11-8 lead. However, she then conceded four consecutive points, allowing her opponent to regain the advantage. The player from Phu Tho remained composed, battling for each point to surge ahead 20-14. Despite this strong position, a series of unforced errors made her struggle, eventually securing the first set 21-19.

In the second set, Thuy Linh adopted a more aggressive strategy, consistently attacking the net and executing precise drop shots to build a 12-4 lead. Although she lost seven points and saw her opponent close the gap, Thuy Linh still managed to push ahead to 20-16. Holding four match points, her eagerness led to several unforced errors, allowing Lin Hsiang-ti to score six consecutive points and surprisingly win the set 22-20.

The decisive third set saw the Vietnamese player maintain a consistent, albeit narrow, lead. The score became a tense battle, reaching 18-18, 19-19, and then 20-20. However, at the critical juncture, Thuy Linh avoided previous errors, scoring two consecutive points to clinch the set 22-20, and the match after one hour and eight minutes.

The Orleans Masters is a Super 300-level tournament on the Badminton World Federation's World Tour. Held from 17/3 to 22/3 in Orleans, France, the event features 400 players from 40 nations competing for a total prize purse of 240,000 USD.

Born on 20/11/1997 in Phu Tho, Thuy Linh turned professional at age 14. Four years later, in 2015, she clinched the National Excellent Players Championship. Since 2018, she has consistently been Vietnam's top female player, securing seven consecutive National Individual Badminton Championship titles. Her achievements also include three consecutive Vietnam Open victories since 2022 and appearances at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics. Within the Super 300 circuit, she has reached the finals four times, finishing second at the German Open in 2024 and 2025, the Canada Open in 2025, and the Korea Masters in 2025.

Thuy Linh's next opponent will be LO Sin Yan Happy from Hong Kong.

Duc Dong