Thuy Linh Stops at Vietnam Open Before 19-Year-Old Chinese Talent

Nguyen Thuy Linh, Vietnam's top female shuttler currently ranked 32nd in the world, exited the Vietnam Open 2026 in the first round against Chinese rising star Xu Wen Jing (world No. 72). The match was held at Nguyen Du Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City on the opening day. The final score was 17-21, 20-22 in favor of the 19-year-old Chinese player. This is the second consecutive loss for Linh to Xu, following a heavy defeat at the Korea Masters in August (10-21, 10-21). However, this time Linh performed much better: she led 14-16 in game 1 before Xu scored four straight points to win 21-17. In game 2, Linh took a 17-14 lead with precise drop shots, but Xu again rallied with powerful cross-court smashes, closing the match 22-20. Xu Wen Jing is a former world junior champion and recently won the Indonesia Masters Super 100 without dropping a game. She is in excellent form with an aggressive attacking style. Tactical analysis shows that Linh successfully forced Xu into long rallies but lost in decisive point execution. The late-game weakness reappeared. On the same day, veteran Nguyen Tien Minh (aged 43), having qualified from the qualifying rounds, also lost in the first round, making it a disappointing day for Vietnamese badminton. Xu Wen Jing continues her run at the Vietnam Open, while Linh must regain consistency ahead of upcoming tournaments.