Nguyễn Hải Đăng Makes History with First International Badminton Championship in 2024
Ashley
Wed Feb 14 2024
Vietnam's badminton scene celebrates as Nguyễn Hải Đăng secures his first international championship at the Fajr International Challenge 2024 in Iran. Meanwhile, fellow players Nguyễn Thùy Linh and Lê Đức Phát take a break and exit the tournament. This win adds to the growing success of Vietnamese badminton.
In a thrilling final match against India's Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, ranked 49th in the world, Nguyễn Hải Đăng comes out on top with a well-deserved victory of 21-17, 21-18. This triumph at the Fajr International Challenge 2024 marks a significant milestone in Nguyễn Hải Đăng's career, excluding his achievements in youth tournaments.
By earning 4,000 points from this tournament, Nguyễn Hải Đăng surpasses Lê Đức Phát to climb higher in the world rankings. His performance also puts him on track to secure a spot in the Olympic qualifications for Paris 2024. Lê Đức Phát, by reaching the quarterfinals of this tournament in Iran, also improves his chances of qualifying for this year's Olympics.
Meanwhile, at the Thailand Masters 2024, the men's singles champion title goes to veteran Chou Tien-Chen from Taiwan, defeating Singapore's Loh Kean Yew, the reigning world champion in 2021. Despite both players falling out of the top 10 rankings, the match between them proves to be an engaging contest.
Chou Tien-Chen demonstrates his prowess by breaking the deadlock in the first game, turning the score from 13-12 to 18-12. Despite Loh Kean Yew narrowing the gap to 16-18, Chou Tien-Chen secures the first game victory.
In the second game, Chou Tien-Chen unexpectedly loses his momentum, leading to a swift defeat and deciding the match to go to a thrilling third game. The third game sees a closely fought battle, with both players tied at 8-8. However, Chou Tien-Chen gradually gains the upper hand, clinching the championship title and a temporary 4-3 lead in their head-to-head encounters.
In the women's singles category, Japanese player Aya Ohori emerges victorious with an impressive performance against Thai representative Supanida Katethong, triumphing 18-21, 21-17, 21-13. Katethong shows signs of fatigue during the 81-minute match.
As Nguyễn Hải Đăng secures his first international championship and continues to climb the world rankings, Vietnamese badminton enthusiasts have reasons to be proud. The Thailand Masters 2024 also showcased the skills and determination of top players, reminding fans of the unpredictable nature of the sport. With more tournaments to come, the future of badminton promises excitement and fierce competition.