Nguyen Tien Minh Wins Qualifier at Vietnam Open 2026: The Patient Experience of a Veteran

On September 9, 2026, during the Vietnam Open 2026 qualifiers, Nguyen Tien Minh defeated Nguyen Hoang Thai Son, a younger doubles specialist. The 43-year-old veteran, ranked 254th in the world, used his experience to neutralize the opponent's strength and speed. Minh exploited gaps in Thai Son's singles movement, especially weaknesses in transitions from deep corners to the net. The win, however, says more about Minh's ability to read mismatches than about his return to top-level form. In the main draw, Minh will face Wu Zhe Ying from Chinese Taipei, who poses a bigger challenge. Meanwhile, Le Duc Phat suffered from knee and heel injuries and needed pain-relief injections, while Nguyen Hai Dang exited in the qualifiers. The event, a BWF Super 100 tournament held from September 8 to 13, 2026, gathered more than 300 players from 27 countries and territories. The bigger issue is the lack of a clear next generation in Vietnamese men's singles, making a 43-year-old veteran still the main reference point.