Nguyễn Thùy Linh stands alone on the international stage

The image of Thùy Linh being solitary while her opponent consults with their coach is truly heartbreaking.

Vietnam's top badminton player, Nguyễn Thùy Linh, is currently competing in the Super 500 Indonesia Masters held in Jakarta from January 20 to 25. On the evening of January 21, Thùy Linh played her opening match in this prestigious tournament and secured a convincing victory over Lin Hsiang-ti, an opponent who had defeated her in the first round of the 2025 Australian Open.

This match showcased Nguyễn Thùy Linh’s outstanding form. The "beauty queen of Vietnamese badminton" played very smart and unpredictable shots, forcing Lin Hsiang-ti to move all over the court before finishing with sharp smashes or delicate net shots. If she had not made several unforced errors at the start of each game, Thùy Linh could have won by an even larger margin.

However, despite the impressive win, there was a moment involving Thùy Linh that made many feel a pang of sadness. During the two-minute break after the first game ended, while Lin Hsiang-ti received enthusiastic coaching, Thùy Linh was alone, gazing into the distance.

Thanks to her extraordinary composure and high confidence, partly because Lin also had a forgettable match, Vietnam’s number one player enjoyed the joy of victory and advanced to the next round.

A coach accompanying a player cannot change their technique during a match, but from a broader perspective, they can offer strategies and approaches to counter the opponent and boost the player’s confidence under pressure.

For example, at the 2023 French Open, where Nguyễn Thùy Linh faced Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Chen Yufei, the Vietnamese player performed excellently in the first game and narrowly lost. During the break, "Feifei" received tactical instructions from her coachto maintain a high serve strategy, draw Thùy Linh to the net, then counterattack. These directives were strictly followed by the Chinese player, who quickly won the deciding set 21-5.

Last year, Nguyễn Thùy Linh was supported by Mr. Hariawan Hong in some tournaments, but the contract between the Indonesian expert and the Vietnam Badminton Federation expired. Additionally, at the Korea Masters—where Thùy Linh was runner-up—she was accompanied by former player Bùi Bằng Đức.

In the second round of the 2026 Indonesia Masters, Nguyễn Thùy Linh will face Chiu Pin-chian, who defeated her in the final of the 2025 Korea Masters.