Nguyễn Tiến Minh defeats the world badminton legend, leaving his opponent in admiration

Throughout his extensive career, Nguyễn Tiến Minh has overcome many prominent figures in the global badminton scene.

Today - February 12, 2026, marks the 43rd birthday of Vietnam’s badminton icon: Nguyễn Tiến Minh, let’s revisit one of the most memorable moments in the illustrious career of "Minh ca".

Nearly 19 years ago, Nguyễn Tiến Minh achieved one of the most remarkable victories of his career. At the 2007 Philippines Open Grand Prix Gold held from July 17 to 22 in Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines, the top Vietnamese badminton player at the time stunned the regional and global badminton community by defeating the legend Taufik Hidayat.

That year’s tournament featured many top names such as Chen Long, Chen Hong, Lee Chong Wei, Bao Chunlai, Taufik Hidayat, and Sony Dwi Kuncoro. At just 24 years old and ranked outside the world’s top 50, Tiến Minh was not highly favored. Many predicted he would struggle to advance against such elite competitors.

However, the Vietnamese player started impressively by defeating former world number 8 Bjorn Joppien with a score of 21-10; 21-14. This victory set up a challenging next round match against Taufik Hidayat.

At that time, Hidayat was the reigning Asian champion, ranked 10th in the world, and boasted an impressive record: Olympic gold in Athens 2004, World Championship gold in 2005, three consecutive Asian Games gold medals (1998, 2002, 2006), three Asian Championship golds, and numerous other titles. The Indonesian star was considered a top contender for the championship.

Nevertheless, with persistent play, confidence, and fearless spirit against a strong opponent, Tiến Minh played brilliantly to win in two games, 21-18; 21-13. This was one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. After the match, the Indonesian legend himself admitted that the Vietnamese player performed better and deserved the victory.

"Minh ca’s" journey at the 2007 Philippines Open Grand Prix Gold was far from over. Buoyed by momentum, Tiến Minh went on to defeat Lee Cheol-ho (South Korea) 21-16, 21-18. In the quarterfinals, he nearly caused another upset by winning the first game 21-17 against top seed Chen Hong, before losing the next two games 19-21 and 15-21.

Although he exited in the quarterfinals, the 2007 Philippines tournament marked a major turning point in Nguyễn Tiến Minh’s career. This success paved the way for subsequent milestones such as reaching the world top 5, winning the 2013 World Championship bronze, and the 2019 Asian Championship bronze. Victories over Lee Chong Wei, Bao Chunlai, Kento Momota, and Chou Tien-chen further cemented the legendary status of Vietnam’s badminton icon in the modern era.