Nguyễn Tiến Minh advanced through the qualifiers of the Singapore International Challenge 2026

At 43 years old, Nguyễn Tiến Minh continues to maintain impressive physical fitness.

The Vietnamese badminton icon, Nguyễn Tiến Minh, successfully passed the qualifying rounds of the Singapore International Challenge held this week in Geylang.

With a world badminton ranking of 269 on the BWF list, Tiến Minh was not eligible for direct entry into the main draw and had to compete in three qualifying matches. However, luck favored the 43-year-old as he received a bye in the first qualifying round, allowing him to conserve energy for the subsequent matches.

In his opening match at the Singapore International Challenge 2026 on February 24, Tiến Minh faced Au Wei Shan from Malaysia, ranked 601st in the world. Against a lower-ranked opponent, "Minh ca" encountered some difficulty in the first game but ultimately dominated to win 2-0 (21-19; 21-11).

This victory took Tiến Minh to the final qualifying round, where he met Kong Teck Joon from Australia, ranked 497th worldwide. The player born in 1983 won comfortably again, defeating his opponent with the same scoreline of 21-13.

At an age when most of his peers have retired, Nguyễn Tiến Minh remains persistent and dedicated to his professional career. In the lower-tier international tournaments he participates in, "Minh ca" consistently leaves a strong impression, showcasing the caliber of a former top 5 world player.

Another Vietnamese representative competing in the men’s singles qualifying round of this year’s Singapore International Challenge is Phan Phúc Thịnh. However, Phúc Thịnh was eliminated in the final qualifying round after losing 14-21; 21-9; 22-24 to Awan Usman from Hong Kong.

On February 25, the two biggest hopes for Vietnamese badminton in this tournament, Nguyễn Hải Đăng and Lê Đức Phát, both played their matches in the main draw. Hải Đăng faced Raghu Mariswamy from India, ranked 184th in the world, while Đức Phát’s opponent has yet to be confirmed.