Just a month ago, Thu Huyen was ranked 1,042nd in the world – a ranking that's understandable for a 14-year-old girl.
However, her achievements in Bangladesh, specifically in the two consecutive Bangladesh International Challenges last week and the Bangladesh International Series in December, have completely changed Thu Huyen's ranking.
At the Bangladesh International Challenge, Thu Huyen caused a major upset in the early rounds by defeating the tournament’s fourth seed, Joanne Ng of Malaysia, who is eight years older and ranked 208th in the world. Her convincing 2–0 victory (21–17, 21–11) not only made a strong impression at the tournament but also demonstrated her ability to compete on equal terms with more experienced players on the international stage. Thu Huyen then won one more match before being eliminated in the semi-finals. This achievement helped her jump 650 places, to 392nd in the world rankings.
Next, at the Bangladesh International Series, which took place shortly after, Thu Huyen continued to impress, winning 4 matches and reaching the quarterfinals.
In both tournaments, Thu Huyen consistently faced opponents who were 4-8 years older and hundreds of places higher in the rankings.
In total, Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen recorded a total of nine victories at international tournaments, accumulating a significant number of ranking points. This helped her jump from 392nd to 328th in the world rankings published on New Year's Day.
With her current ranking, Thu Huyen is now the fourth-highest-ranked Vietnamese women’s singles player on the BWF world rankings, behind only her more experienced compatriots Nguyen Thuy Linh (world No. 22), Vu Thi Trang (No. 138) and Nguyen Thi Bich Phuong (No. 317). Her rapid ascent not only marks a personal milestone but also raises strong hopes for the future of Vietnam’s badminton youth development, as a new generation begins to assert itself on the international stage.
HY