Nguyễn Tiến Minh beats Nguyễn Hoàng Thái Sơn in Vietnam Open 2026 qualifying

At the opening night of the Vietnam Open 2026 badminton Super 100 tournament, Nguyen Tien Minh, Vietnam’s 43-year-old veteran, earned his place in the main draw by defeating Nguyen Hoang Thai Son in the men’s singles qualifier. Minh, now world No. 254, relied on experience rather than power. He recognized his younger opponent’s weakness in singles, using controlled rallies, clever drops and changes of pace to keep Thai Son off balance. Minh will next face Zhe Ying Wu in the main round. Elsewhere, Le Duc Phat competed despite knee and heel injuries, needing pain-relief injections, while Nguyen Hai Dang was eliminated. In women’s singles, Nguyen Thuy Linh is set to meet teenage player Xu Wen Jing. Vietnam Open 2026 features over 300 players from 27 countries, offering valuable ranking points and serving as an important transition test for Vietnamese badminton.