This year’s Vietnam Open 2023 marks a significant moment for badminton in Vietnam. It’s a BWF Tour Super 100 event, making it the first tournament in Vietnam with a grand prize of $100,000. This means the single’s champion will walk away with $7,600, while the doubles champions will share a prize of $7,900. This is a huge boost for the sport, attracting a large number of players from around the world.
A Global Gathering of Badminton Stars
Over 332 players from 26 countries and regions will be battling it out on the court in Vietnam. The competition is fierce, with several top players looking to win the coveted title. The men’s singles competition will feature Koki Watanabe and Takuma Obayashi from Japan, both ranked within the top 50 in the world.
Adding to the excitement, former world bronze medalist Sai Praneeth from India is also participating. However, Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Minh isn’t having the easiest time. Due to limited participation in international events recently, he’s dropped to 342nd in the world rankings. He’ll have to start from the qualifying rounds and face Ting Yen Chen from Taiwan in his first match.
Vietnam’s Hopeful Players Face Tough Challenges
Vietnam will also have two players, Le Duc Phat and Nguyen Hai Dang, competing in the men’s singles main draw. Le Duc Phat receives a bye in the first round but will then face the winner of the match between Nguyen Hai Dang and Kuo Kuan Lin from Taiwan. This means, excluding Nguyen Tien Minh, Vietnam will only have one representative in the second round.
The women’s singles draw doesn’t offer much better news for the Vietnamese players. Nguyen Thuy Linh, currently ranked 27th in the world, is seeded first but will face a tough challenge right from the first round in the form of her fellow countrywoman, Vu Thi Trang. The winner of this match will then face the winner of the match between Vu Thi Anh Thu and Chen Su Yu from Taiwan. So even though Vietnam has three players in the main draw for the women’s singles, they are forced to compete against each other. This means that only one Vietnamese player will be able to make it past the second round.
The Vietnam Open 2023 promises to be an exciting tournament, with a diverse array of players from around the globe vying for the top spot. While the challenges are daunting for the Vietnamese players, we can expect some exciting matches and a lot of support from their home fans. It’s a great opportunity for Vietnamese badminton to shine on the international stage.
