Veteran Nguyen Tien Minh at 43 still shines at Vietnam Open 2026

At the age of 43, when many athletes have retired or turned to coaching, Nguyen Tien Minh still shows a burning passion for badminton by winning convincingly in the qualifying round of the Vietnam Open 2026. The Vietnamese veteran surpassed Nguyen Hoang Thai Son, much younger, while sending a message about a strong sporting spirit. The tournament runs from September 8 to 13 in Ho Chi Minh City, attracting more than 300 players from 27 countries and territories. Vietnam Open 2026 belongs to the BWF Super 100 system, an important playground for players to accumulate points before major tournaments. Although it is not a top-tier event, for the host country it is an opportunity to promote the sport and test its internal strength. Minh's victory over Thai Son came from years of international experience. Thai Son has excellent physique, speed and power, but he is a doubles specialist and is not used to the demands of singles movement. Minh exploited that weakness by targeting low, deep shots to force his opponent to move a lot and make mistakes. The veteran's smart and energy-efficient play worked against a younger but inexperienced rival. However, Minh's success does not hide the fact that Vietnamese men's badminton is struggling in a transitional period. Le Duc Phat had to take painkiller injections due to knee and heel pain while still trying to compete in the tournament. Nguyen Hai Dang was eliminated immediately in the first round. The reliance on a 43-year-old player like Minh shows the gap in young talent. In the women's singles, Nguyen Thuy Linh faced 19-year-old Xu Wen Jing. Although the result is not yet known, Linh's presence continues to be a bright spot for Vietnamese badminton. It could be said that this year's tournament is both an opportunity for young players to gain experience and a challenge for long-term development strategy. Minh's qualifying win helps him advance to the main draw against Taiwanese player Zhe Ying Wu. The opponent is younger and of a higher level, but Minh's spirit has overcome physical limits. He once shared that at this age, every match is a gift, a chance to play the sport he loves in front of the home audience. Whatever the result at the Vietnam Open 2026, Nguyen Tien Minh deserves to be a shining example of passion and dedication. He does not need to prove anything more, because what he has done over more than 20 years has been enough to write a beautiful page in the history of Vietnamese badminton.