Nguyen Tien Minh Overcomes Vietnam Open 2026 Qualifiers at Age 43

The opening day of the qualifying round of the Vietnam Open 2026, on the morning of September 8, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City, witnessed the performance of one of the most veteran players in Vietnamese badminton history. Nguyễn Tiến Minh, who has just turned 43, did not allow himself to stop early. With reasonable tactics and rich experience, Minh defeated Nguyễn Hoàng Thái Sơn, a player 17 years his junior, thereby winning the right to compete in the main draw of the tournament. The match lasted only two games, but the former Vietnamese champion did not face any threat from his opponent currently on the national team in men's singles. Minh's victory was not surprising, because Nguyễn Hoàng Thái Sơn was known for his doubles play. Sơn's strengths were powerful smashes and wide movement in doubles. When stepping into singles, his limitations were quickly exploited by Minh: lower endurance, inefficient movement to cover a larger court area, and lack of experience in international tournaments. After the match, Minh said: "Sơn is not strong in singles, but he has good strength and speed. I focused on not making errors and always hitting the shuttle to positions that made him uncomfortable." That is an honest assessment from a player who knows how to read the game. But let's look at the bigger picture. The 2026 Vietnam Open is a BWF World Tour event, with the Super 100 level – the lowest compared to Super 750 or Super 1000. The tournament runs from September 8 to 13, attracting more than 300 athletes from 27 countries and territories around the world. Although it is not a large-scale event, for Vietnamese badminton it always carries a special meaning: it is an opportunity for local players to compete at home in front of spectators, to gain experience against international opponents, and to accumulate ranking points. Among the hosts, Nguyễn Tiến Minh is currently ranked 254th in the world, a modest position compared to the past when he was once in the world's top 10. Nevertheless, Minh's presence at age 43 has become a symbol of willpower and passion for sport. The fact that he can still compete in an international tournament shows that his love for badminton has never faded. The team's coach is probably pleased to see a seasoned veteran like Minh helping to stabilize the spirit of his younger teammates in a tournament where psychological factors often play a decisive role. In another development, experts are worried about Lê Đức Phát, currently the No. 1 hope of Vietnamese men's singles in international tournaments. Phát had just gone through a long journey in Asian tournaments before returning home for the Vietnam Open. He suffered injuries to his knee and heel, and needed pain-killing injections right before the tournament. Fans hope the injuries will not affect Phát's movement too much, but in reality, frequent painkiller injections are not a good sign. If Phát cannot play his best, the burden will fall on the shoulders of Minh and other young players. Meanwhile, Nguyễn Hải Đăng – a promising young talent – could not surpass the qualifying round, losing to an experienced opponent in the deciding match. Such matches are valuable lessons for young players to see their distance from their international counterparts. On the other side, the participation of Nguyễn Thùy Linh, Vietnam's No. 1 women's player, has also drawn attention. Linh will start in the main round, where she faces Xu Wen Jing, a 19-year-old Chinese talent. Although she recently emerged, Xu Wen Jing is rated with sharp attacking play and abundant physical strength, promising to pose a big challenge for Thùy Linh. The age story of Nguyễn Tiến Minh has always been an inspiring topic. He joined the national team who knows when and has gone through many ups and downs, but in his twilight years, he still remains passionate about the shuttlecock. Physical strength is his inherent weakness, but the way he distributes energy, uses clever shots and keeps the rhythm of the match is the weapon that allows him to compete in international arenas. The victory over Sơn shows that Minh still has 'professional fire' after more than 20 years of high-level competition. However, one thing to note: Minh's next opponent in the main draw is Zhe Ying Wu, a Taiwanese player with a higher ranking and more regular appearances in singles. This will be a real test for Minh. Against Sơn, Minh only needed to take advantage of his opponent's mistakes, but against Zhe Ying Wu, he will have to play at 100% capacity. Fans still believe that with his observation skills and timing, Minh can cause an upset. But from a physical standpoint, it is not easy for a 43-year-old to maintain concentration and speed over several games. That is the biggest challenge for him. Aside from professional aspects, medical factors are also a particular concern for the teams. Lê Đức Phát is not the only case with physical problems. Many other young players also complain about the dense competition schedule during the year, leaving them insufficient time to recover. This raises a question about how specialists manage physical condition. This year, when a number of Vietnamese players had to leave the tournament for various reasons, the coaching team needs careful calculation to avoid damaging the fitness of key players. In the coming days, the 2026 Vietnam Open will enter decisive rounds. Can Nguyễn Tiến Minh overcome the Taiwanese opponent to continue his fairy tale at age 43? Fans are still waiting.