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Nguyen Thuy Linh successfully defends her title. |
She achieved this victory by defeating Japanese competitor Akari Kurihara in the women's singles final, which concluded on the evening of September 17 at the Nguyen Du Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City.
After a hard-fought victory in the semifinals against Japanese player Manami Suizu, defending champion Nguyen Thuy Linh continued to face a tough challenge in the final against another player from the Land of the Rising Sun, Akari Kurihara.
When assessing skill levels based on world rankings, 26-year-old Vietnamese badminton player Thuy Linh holds a significantly higher rank than Akari Kurihara, who is currently ranked 156th in the world. Although she lags behind Vietnam's top-ranked player by 129 positions, Akari Kurihara's skill level does not differ significantly.
It is primarily because Akari Kurihara has only been competing internationally for about a year, earning points in just six tournaments, including a victory at the Mongolia International 2022 championship. If she participates in international competitions more frequently, meeting the BWF's requirement of competing in at least ten tournaments, Akari Kurihara's ranking is almost certain to see significant improvement. It is also why, although Akari Kurihara entered the tournament through the qualifiers, she advanced directly to the final.
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22-year-old Japanese badminton player Akari Kurihara almost causes an upset for Nguyen Thuy Linh. |
Amidst the fervent cheers of the crowd in the stands for Nguyen Thuy Linh, the young Japanese player appeared to face difficulties as the match commenced. The Japanese player committed a series of errors, enabling Thuy Linh to secure seven consecutive points, establishing an 8-3 lead. Extending her advantage to 12-9, Vietnam's top-ranked player then went on to achieve an additional 6-point streak, further widening the gap to 18-9 and ultimately emerging victorious with a score of 21-14.
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Nguyen Thuy Linh shows signs of physical fatigue during the middle of the second game. |
During the second game, Nguyen Thuy Linh struggled in situations demanding movement in all four directions due to her diminished stamina. She consistently committed unforced errors, enabling Akari Kurihara to secure a comfortable 21-11 victory in the second game, thereby tying the match at 1-1.
In the decisive game, Nguyen Thuy Linh still struggled to turn the tide as Akari Kurihara surged ahead with a score of 17-13. Considering the prevailing circumstances and the score, the audience in the stadium began to anticipate a disappointing result for Vietnam's top-ranked badminton player. However, to everyone's astonishment, Nguyen Thuy Linh delivered a stunning performance by securing seven consecutive points, flipping the score to 20-17 in her favor. She then concluded the game with an exhilarating score of 21-19, much to the joy of the thousands of loyal fans in the stands.
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Nguyen Thuy Linh (R) with the medal for the champion |
In a remarkable display of resilience, Nguyen Thuy Linh successfully retained her championship title and was awarded US$7,500. This achievement represents her second international championship victory this year.
Reflecting on her victory after the final match, Thuy Linh expressed, "Securing the championship for the second time in Ho Chi Minh City fills me with immense joy and pride in my competitive spirit. Despite not being in my best physical condition today, I maintained my determination to compete until the very end. I want to extend my gratitude to everyone - the officials, coaching staff, and the fans - who have consistently supported and inspired me on this journey to clinching the championship today."
