Nguyen Tien Minh advances past Vietnam Open 2026 qualifiers at age 43

On September 9, veteran Nguyen Tien Minh secured a win in the qualifying round of the Vietnam Open 2026 badminton tournament, earning a spot in the men's singles main draw. The 43-year-old, ranked 254th, defeated younger opponent Nguyen Hoang Thai Son, a doubles specialist with limited singles experience. Minh credited his disciplined play and tactical superiority. He will face Zhe Ying Wu of Taiwan in the next round. Other Vietnamese players faced challenges: Le Duc Phat is struggling with knee and heel injuries requiring pain-relief injections, while Nguyen Hai Dang exited in qualifiers. Nguyen Thuy Linh competes in women's singles against Xu Wen Jing. The Super 100 event attracts over 300 players from 27 countries from September 8-13. Minh, a former world top-20 player, says he still loves the game and plans to continue competing.