Vietnam’s top badminton player, Nguyen Thuy Linh, lost to Wen Chi Hsu 16-21, 12-21 in the first round of the French Open 2024 on the afternoon of March 6th.
Following a runner-up finish at the German Open, Thuy Linh moved up one spot to 22nd in the world rankings, while Wen ranked three places lower. Both players are 26 years old, with similar heights and reaches. However, Thuy Linh had an advantage in head-to-head encounters, having beaten Wen 2-0 at the Denmark Open 2023.
Thuy Linh was coached by her friend, Lauren Lam, from the sidelines. She and Wen battled evenly early in the first game up to 6-6. However, from this point, the player from Phu Tho became hasty in her fast exchanges, resulting in many errors. This allowed Wen to take the lead 9-7, 11-8, and then 14-9.
The Vietnamese player then changed her strategy to play softer, scoring five consecutive points to tie the game at 15-15. But just as she gained momentum, Thuy Linh made continuous errors, allowing Wen to secure the first game 21-16.
After discussing strategies with Lam, Thuy Linh entered the second game with a strategy to play short and distribute the shuttle across both sides of the court. She initially led but was caught up by Wen at 6-6. The player from Taiwan then took control, leading 11-7, 12-9, and eventually extending her lead to 17-9. It seemed Thuy Linh’s stamina had been depleted from the German Open, while Wen moved flexibly, hit powerfully, and effectively netted the shuttle. As a result, Wen concluded the match with a 21-12 win in the second game.
The French Open, part of the Super 750 series with a higher level and larger playing field attracting many of the world’s top players, seemed overwhelming for the Vietnamese player. Unable to display her true capabilities, Thuy Linh had to accept an early exit from the tournament.
Thuy Linh will take a week off before participating in the All England Open, where she will face the world’s second-ranked player, Chen Youfei. She will also compete in the Swiss Open and Spanish Open to improve her world ranking and accumulate points for Olympic qualification.
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