- Vietnam’s number-one badminton player shocked the audience at the Singapore Super Series 2009 when he brushed aside world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia by two games to one.

Minh, ranked 11th in the world, has played against Lee several times before, but this is the first time he has beaten the Malaysian. He prevailed 24-22, 20-22, 21-19. This was a big surprise for experts and represents a high mark for Vietnamese badminton.

For the championship, Minh will fight Bao Chunlai of China, currently ranked 16th in the world, on June 12.

In the first round, he struggled to beat Japan’s Sasaki Sho, the world 26^th-ranked player 2-1.

“Tien Minh played at a high level in this match. I tried but I couldn’t avoid a defeat. I won in the second set but I was not confident enough in the decisive set. I’m very saddened by this defeat,” said Lee Chong Wei.

“I can’t believe it. Perhaps I will not be able to sleep tonight,” said Minh after the match.

Minh’s father, Nguyen Van Thuc, said that his son did well thanks to local support.

“Ho Chi Minh City Badminton Federation President Le Dang Xu directly invited Minh’s favorite coach Yan Shi Qiang from China to train Minh and the HCM City badminton squad,” he said.

VietNamNet/TN/VNE