Nguyen Tien Minh advances at Vietnam Open 2026 qualifiers: A victory of experience, but don't celebrate too soon

On September 8, 2026, at Binh Duong Gymnasium, Nguyen Tien Minh (43 years old, world ranked 254th) advanced through the qualifiers of the Vietnam Open 2026 after defeating Nguyen Hoang Thai Son – a player better known for men's doubles. A bit further away in the recovery area, Le Duc Phat had to receive painkiller injections due to knee and heel injuries, while Nguyen Hai Dang was eliminated from the qualifying round. A Super 100 tournament is not extremely glamorous, but for Vietnamese badminton fans, Minh's victory is still a signal worth discussing. I did not choose journalism; journalism chose me on the running track in 2026 – but it is exactly such behind-the-scenes details that have kept me in the profession. Observing Minh's match from the press row, I was reminded of a familiar saying in our field: the 2026 World Cup taught me that stars are not born in the stands, but are born out of struggle. At 43, Minh is no longer a poster star, but he still fights on court as if age did not exist. So what helped him overcome a younger opponent? Based on what I could note, this was not a match where Minh dominated physically or in speed. Minh himself admitted after the match: Nguyen Hoang Thai Son has strength and speed, but is not particularly strong in singles. That sentence reveals an important truth: Minh won not because he played far better, but because he read the opponent's tactical weaknesses. Nguyen Hoang Thai Son is a doubles specialist, accustomed to moving in pairs, handling the shuttle at high speed but lacking the patience and rotational ability required in the vast singles court. Minh, with his wealth of experience, exploited this to the fullest. He did not try to hit powerful smashes, but mainly pulled the opponent out of his comfort zone, using drop shots and cross-court shots to expose the awkwardness of a player used to doubles rhythm. This victory becomes even more meaningful when placed beside the situation of other Vietnamese men's singles players. Le Duc Phat has just undergone treatment for knee and heel injuries, requiring painkiller injections to continue playing. Nguyen Hai Dang was eliminated from the qualifiers, showing that competition is not easier even at a Super 100 level. Vietnam Open 2026 attracted more than 300 athletes from 27 countries and territories – a number that shows the field is not extremely strong in terms of quality but is sufficient for young players to gain experience and ranking points. There is a detail few noticed: Nguyen Hoang Thai Son is not a stranger to Vietnamese badminton fans, but in singles, he is still a new face. Minh defeating such an opponent can make many people optimistic, but I believe caution is necessary. This was only the qualifying round, and Minh's first-round opponent is Zhe Ying Wu from Taiwan – a young player with a structured style, entirely different from Thai Son's free-spirited play. It will be a real test of Minh's adaptability. I trust my instincts from field observations over raw statistics, and my instinct tells me this victory should not be hyped. Age 43 cannot forgive physical mistakes like at twenty-something. Minh may maintain his level for a short match, but through the rounds, when the match load increases, things will be different. What matters is not that Minh won this match, but how long he can last against truly strong opponents. What I admire most about Nguyen Tien Minh is not his tactics but his spirit. When reporters asked about retirement, Minh smiled: "I play badminton because I love it, age is just a number." Perhaps this casualness – casual about achievements, casual about pressure – is what has allowed him to play for so long. But from a Vietnamese badminton development perspective, the presence of a 43-year-old veteran while young players are constantly injured is an issue that worries me. Le Duc Phat, Nguyen Hai Dang, and even younger names – are they being properly protected? Or are we just relying on old stars until they can no longer run? Football, athletics, or badminton, they all share a common pulse: generational transition. The 2026 World Cup once taught me that a new star can appear from unexpected places. But to have a new star, we need a system that knows how to nurture talent from the roots. Le Duc Phat having to take painkiller injections to play at a home tournament is a picture of lacking sports medical resources, not of a sustainable badminton foundation. Let's return to the Vietnam Open 2026. This tournament holds special significance for host players: a chance to earn points, gain international exposure, and above all, play in front of home fans. But for that very reason, any victory by Minh leaves me thinking about the next generation. After Minh, will we still have anyone with enough courage to pass the qualifying round at a Super 100 by age 30? The answer remains open. As a sports journalist, I want to look at this matter soberly. Celebrate Minh's victory, but remember that this tournament takes place in a context where Vietnamese men's singles is almost empty of young talent. The numbers – 300 athletes, 27 countries – only show scale, not class. Zhe Ying Wu will be the real test, and perhaps that is when we will see a clearer picture of Nguyen Tien Minh's form and future. I do not want to deny this victory, but I want to put it into perspective: a win in the qualifying round, against a non-singles specialist, at a tournament of the lowest tier in the BWF system. This is a beautiful testament to perseverance, but not yet evidence of strength. At 43, he is still running, still playing, and still making us think. As for Vietnamese badminton – Le Duc Phat's injuries, Nguyen Hai Dang's early exit – all remain waiting for a worthy solution. Perhaps at my age, after almost half a century watching sports, I realize that what matters is not who wins today, but who invests in tomorrow. When I watch Nguyen Tien Minh step onto the court, I see a veteran running on imagination – something he calls passion. But a sports nation cannot rely only on one person's imagination. It needs a system, a team, and people behind the scenes. Perhaps the biggest lesson of the Vietnam Open 2026 lies not in the score, but in the way we view transition, so that we never fall into the state of regretting a golden generation reduced to people fighting against time.