Nguyen Tien Minh wins Vietnam Open 2026 qualifier, faces Zhe Ying Wu in main draw

This afternoon at Nguyen Du Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, one of the most notable moments of the qualifying round of the Vietnam Open 2026 badminton tournament took place when Nguyen Tien Minh, 43, stepped onto the court for a decisive match against his younger compatriot Nguyen Hoang Thai Son. The result was within the expectations of Minh's fans: the veteran earned a spot in the main draw. His opponent was a young player with good physique and speed but not strong in singles. "He has strength and speed, but his singles skills are not really good," Minh briefly shared after the match. The gap in class and experience helped Minh control the game, not allowing his opponent any chance to break through. The Vietnam Open 2026 – a BWF World Tour Super 100 event – is taking place from September 8 to 13 at Nguyen Du Stadium, attracting over 300 players from 27 countries and territories. Although it is the lowest tier in the World Tour system, the tournament remains important for mid-ranked players, especially for accumulating international ranking points. For the Vietnamese team, the Vietnam Open is always a "home" event for local players to gain experience, and this year the host nation sent a fairly large force across all categories. In the aforementioned qualifying match, Nguyen Tien Minh, currently ranked 254th in the world, showed clear superiority over Nguyen Hoang Thai Son – a player mainly trained and competing in men's doubles. The tactical difference was evident from the start: Minh deliberately played deep shots, moved continuously to force his opponent to the back of the court, then unexpectedly dropped the shuttle to catch him off guard. Despite Thai Son’s youth and abundant stamina, his lack of experience in singles situations led to many errors. Minh fully exploited that weakness, winning after two games with a score that was not officially disclosed, and continues his journey at this year's tournament. This victory is even more significant as Nguyen Tien Minh, at the age of 43, still has the ability to compete in an international tournament. Many call it a "miracle," but from a data and analysis perspective, Minh’s success also comes from the fact that his opponent did not have strong singles skills. In modern badminton, the gap between a professional singles player and a doubles player is enormous; it lies not only in technique but also in tactical vision, movement, and energy management. Minh exploited that gap exactly. After passing the qualifying round, Nguyen Tien Minh will face Zhe Ying Wu from Taiwan (China) in the main draw. Wu is not a top seed, but he is younger and has a good physique. This will be a much bigger challenge, requiring Minh to be well prepared both physically and tactically. The same day, other Vietnamese male players did not perform as successfully as Minh. Le Duc Phat – currently Vietnam’s number one singles player – is still struggling with knee and heel injuries and had to take pain-relief injections to play. He tried his best but could not reach his top form. Nguyen Hai Dang, a promising young talent, was eliminated early. This shows the lack of depth in the men’s team beyond the two pillars Minh and Phat. So what is really happening with Vietnamese badminton? A 43-year-old player still has to carry the weight at an international tournament, while his teammates are injured and younger players have yet to rise to continental standards. It can be said that Vietnamese badminton is in a difficult transition period. We once took pride in the golden generation such as Nguyen Tien Minh and Phung Ngoc My, but the next generation has not yet asserted itself. Looking back at Minh’s match, I did not have enough heat data to analyze the shuttle trajectories, but there is a principle I always keep in mind: "People need belief to bet, I need data to be certain." Today, the only data I had was the scoreline, but it does not tell everything. I do not remember the match; I remember the heat map of that match – but this time, that map does not exist. What I see is a fact: a young player lost because he was not systematically trained for singles, while a veteran still wins through intelligence, not just physical strength. Fans may celebrate Minh’s victory as a symbol of persistence, but I recall my own words from a football analysis: "When Japan rises, I don’t see miracles, I see the formula of collapse." Here, there is no rising at all; Minh’s victory is merely exploiting an opponent’s weaknesses in a not-so-competitive tournament. The core issue remains the youth training system of Vietnamese badminton, which has revealed many flaws over the years. The Vietnam Open 2026 will continue for several more days. The Vietnamese team still has hopes in doubles events, where players like Nguyen Hoang Thai Son can use their strengths. But for singles players, the road ahead is not smooth. Minh’s presence in the main draw is a precious signal, but it cannot hide the fact that the next generations are not ready. When the draw paired Minh with Zhe Ying Wu, I wondered if age and experience would continue to be lethal weapons against a much younger opponent. Badminton history has seen older players win at small tournaments, but to maintain high-level results, Minh needs a better medical and tactical support team. Le Duc Phat’s injury is also a warning about the physical management of national team members. Minh’s match today brought immediate joy, but this victory should not make us overly optimistic. One win does not create a successful season. The real story of Vietnamese badminton lies in how many young talents are systematically invested to replace the aging pillars. Until that answer is clear, Nguyen Tien Minh will remain a rare bright spot, but also a mirror reflecting what is missing. Minh’s next match will take place in a few hours; fans still hope for a positive result. However, whatever the outcome, the most important thing is for the team to reconsider its long-term development strategy. It is time to stop relying entirely on a "big tree" like Minh. The young generation needs opportunities, but first they must have a proper training environment. In the late afternoon, as the lights in the gym brightened, Minh’s shadow stretched across the court. He was still practicing hard after others had left. People say he keeps a training schedule of six days a week, managing his own drills and nutrition. That desire is admirable, but can he alone push the whole badminton nation forward? I am not sure. The Vietnam Open 2026 will conclude at the weekend. Ahead of Minh is Zhe Ying Wu, a worthy opponent. Win or lose, that match will help answer the big questions: how long can a legend's stamina last, and who will continue the story of Vietnamese badminton. Let's wait and see.