Nguyễn Tiến Minh earned the right to compete in a prestigious tournament, making history for Vietnamese badminton.

Nguyễn Tiến Minh established a series of records that remain unmatched in the history of Vietnamese badminton thanks to his skill and commitment to the sport.

The year 2010 marked the peak season in Nguyễn Tiến Minh’s career — a legend in Vietnamese badminton. At times, he rose to 4th and 5th place in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, the highest position ever achieved by a Vietnamese player. This achievement placed Tiến Minh alongside world badminton legends like Lee Chong Wei, Chen Long, Peter Gade, and Boonsak Ponsana.

With his outstanding performance that season, Nguyễn Tiến Minh made history by becoming the first and only Vietnamese player to qualify for the Super Series Finals — the predecessor of today’s BWF World Tour Finals. This prestigious tournament is reserved for the top 8 players of the year according to the BWF Race to Finals rankings, showcasing the superior class of the Ho Chi Minh City native at that time.

At the 2010 BWF Super Series Finals held in January 2011, Nguyễn Tiến Minh was placed in the challenging Group A alongside Lee Chong Wei, Peter Gade, and Jan O Jorgensen. Facing opponents of very high caliber, Tiến Minh could not cause an upset in his debut at this elite eight-player tournament.

In his opening match, Tiến Minh lost to Lee Chong Wei 0-2 (12-21; 17-21). The next day, despite putting in more effort, he still failed to win a game, losing 0-2 (16-21; 18-21) to Peter Gade. In the final group match, the 1983-born star was defeated by Gade’s compatriot Jan O Jorgensen in two games (18-21; 15-21).

Although he did not earn any points at that year’s elite tournament, Nguyễn Tiến Minh’s participation in the Super Series Finals remains an unprecedented achievement in Vietnamese badminton history and a milestone that few players have matched since.

The impressive feats in the 2010 season laid the foundation for Tiến Minh to pursue further remarkable achievements in his career. Three years later, at the 2013 World Championships, he made history again by winning a bronze medal. He defeated Jan O Jorgensen after a record-long rally to reach the semifinals, where he was stopped only by the unbeatable Lin Dan.

By 2019, at 36 years old, Tiến Minh still demonstrated his timeless skill and endurance by winning a bronze medal at the Asian Championships — becoming the first Vietnamese player to earn a medal at this event. The moment when the Vietnamese badminton icon stood alongside Chou Tien-chen, Kento Momota, and Shi Yuqi at the closing ceremony remains deeply cherished by badminton fans in Vietnam.

Currently, although no longer at his peak, Nguyễn Tiến Minh remains one of Vietnam’s top players, showcasing admirable experience and competitive spirit. Recently, he reached the semifinals of the FELET Vietnam International Series, overcoming many younger opponents by decades, earning respect from international audiences.

Related article

Nguyễn Tiến Minh continues to play at age 42, earning admiration from international fans. Nguyễn Tiến Minh still demonstrates outstanding skill despite being past his prime years. See also