Nguyễn Tiến Minh overcomes Vietnam Open 2026 qualifier: 43-year-old veteran still knows how to seize opportunities

The Vietnam Open 2026 international badminton tournament — a BWF Super 100 event — is being held from September 8 to 13 in Vietnam. In the qualifying round, local fans focused on 43-year-old Nguyễn Tiến Minh as he advanced to the main draw after beating Nguyễn Hoàng Thái Sơn. The victory came not from speed or raw power, but from his ability to read the game and exploit the weaknesses of an opponent used to doubles play. Nguyễn Tiến Minh, now ranked 254th in the world, is in the late stage of his career but retains enough stamina and persistence for lower-tier tournaments. Facing a younger opponent who lacks singles experience, Minh did not need powerful smashes to finish rallies. Instead, he dragged his rival into heavy movement, changed the direction of the shuttle, and struck into open spaces. “The opponent has strength and speed, but he is not really strong in singles. I took advantage of that,” Minh said after the match. Minh’s remark was modest, but the match showed a clear tactical picture. Nguyễn Hoàng Thái Sơn is primarily a doubles player, where coordination, covering space and net play matter most. When he moved into singles, Thái Sơn carried doubles habits: moving sideways rather than deep, relying on net reflexes instead of sustaining long rallies, and being drawn into the veteran’s patient rhythm. It was a clash of styles rather than a display of greater skill by Minh. Match data is limited: no smash speed, rally length or unforced-error statistics were released. That constrains precise evaluation. But one signal was clear: Nguyễn Tiến Minh can still compete at Super 100 level, and his qualifying win shows he has not lost the knack of taking chances. For a 43-year-old, winning with intelligence matters more than winning with power. Vietnam Open 2026 was not only about Minh. In another part of the draw, Lê Đức Phát — one of Vietnam’s biggest hopes in men’s singles — struggled with injury. Organizers said Phát needed pain-relief injections to play because of knee and heel problems. His wife was in the stands, and family presence was important support while his physical condition was far from ideal. Nguyễn Hải Đăng, a young player expected to follow Minh’s generation, could not get past the qualifiers. That result shows Vietnamese men’s singles is going through a difficult transition: the older generation still carries the load, while younger players are not yet mature enough to take over. Injuries to key names made the picture even more fragile. In women’s singles, Nguyễn Thùy Linh drew attention when she met 19-year-old Xu Wen Jing. Reports say the Taiwanese player attacks quickly, promising a watchable contest while also testing Linh’s ability to control errors. Vietnam Open 2026 is a Super 100 tournament, the lowest tier of the BWF World Tour in terms of ranking points and prize money. Still, it attracted more than 300 players from 27 countries and territories. The numbers show two things: the event gives young players valuable exposure, and the field is uneven because top Asian names are absent. The competition is mainly between regional countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and Malaysia. By reaching the main draw, Nguyễn Tiến Minh will face Zhe Ying Wu of Chinese Taipei in the opening round. As a former top-10 player, Minh knows what he has to do. But age is an unavoidable issue. In a tournament spread over several days, a heavy playing schedule is always a challenge for any athlete over 40. One interesting detail was Minh’s comment that he still enjoys competing. At 43, few male singles players in the world continue on the international circuit. But for Minh, the joy of playing seems to be his biggest motivation. He does not talk about retirement; he simply shows up and competes. That is admirable, but it also raises concerns about Vietnam’s future in men’s singles when the next generation is not ready. From a risk perspective, Vietnamese badminton faces two major problems this week. The first is player fitness. Lê Đức Phát, who needed pain-killing injections, could suffer a setback at any moment. Knee and heel injuries are chronic for badminton players, and they need long rehabilitation, not temporary medicine. The second problem is the lack of reliable successors. Nguyễn Hải Đăng was eliminated early, Nguyễn Hoàng Thái Sơn is not a singles expert, and Nguyễn Tiến Minh is already past his physical peak. That affects not only this year’s Vietnam Open but also the longer-term plans of sports administrators. Still, there is no reason for extreme pessimism. A Super 100 event is an ideal place for young players to earn points and experience international pressure. More than 300 competitors from 27 countries and territories create an open environment where Vietnamese athletes can learn from different styles. Nguyễn Thùy Linh still has chances to advance if she stays focused. And for Lê Đức Phát, if he survives this health test, the experience of playing through injury could make him stronger later. Nguyễn Tiến Minh’s story at Vietnam Open 2026 is not just about one victory. It is about an older generation still taking responsibility while youth has yet to prove itself. Fewer and fewer chances remain to see a 43-year-old badminton player compete against someone nearly 20 years younger. But every time Minh appears, he reminds us that in badminton, experience and smart court craft can compensate for lost physical sharpness. That may be the biggest lesson of this year’s event for Vietnamese sport.