Singapore – Veteran Vietnamese badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh, 43, continued his impressive run at the Singapore International Badminton Challenge on Wednesday, securing a victory over 19-year-old Malaysian Au Wei Shan with a score of 2-0 (21/19, 21/11). The win propels Minh into a crucial match for a spot in the men’s singles main draw.
Competing at the tournament which began February 24th, Minh, currently ranked 269th in the world, demonstrated resilience and experience against his younger opponent, ranked 604th, according to tournament results. The Singapore International Badminton Challenge features a number of Vietnamese players, including Nguyen Hai Dang, Le Duc Phat, Vu Thi Trang, and Phan Phuc Thinh.
Minh’s next opponent will be 18-year-old Kong Teck Joon of Australia, ranked 497th. The match is scheduled for noon today, and will test Minh’s ability to overcome a significant age gap.
Also vying for a place in the men’s singles main draw, Phan Phuc Thinh (world ranking 275) will face Awan Usman of Hong Kong (world ranking 465). Nguyen Hai Dang and Le Duc Phat have already secured their places in the main draw. In mixed doubles, the second-seeded Vietnamese pair of Tran Dinh Manh and Pham Thi Khanh will compete against Shao Hua Chiu and Yun Jung Chang of Taiwan in their opening main draw match.
Nguyen Tien Minh’s participation in the tournament marks his first international competition of the year, following the International Series 2025 competition in Bangladesh last December. His wife, Vu Thi Trang, is also competing in the women’s singles event, having received a direct entry into the main draw. Young player Bui Bich Phuong is also representing Vietnam in Singapore.
The Singapore International Badminton Challenge is scheduled to run until March 1st.
