22 year-old tennis player Nguyen Thuy Dung has crowned as the national champion for three consecutive times. She is also named as the beauty queen of Vietnam’s tennis.

Dung began to show her talent in tennis when she was twelve. Dung’ family realized that professional tennis would be the right direction for their beloved daughter. She was sent to the USA, the UK and Thailand to attend various training sessions. With her great efforts, Dung’s dream in 2006 come true after she defeated five-time champion Huynh Mai Huynh to win the Cup at the National Games.

After her first hallmark, Dung continued her enduous practice. At the national tennis championship last year, she earned prize money worth around US$ 10,000 which was much smaller than the investment of Dung’s family to their daughter.

Dung once underwent long-term training at the Vicbaden tennis institute in Los Angeles, which cost a staggering US$8,000 a month. Last year, Dung spent most of the time in Thailand for her training at her parent’s expense (nearly US$90,000 of living expenses a year). Dung was also once trained by coach Dodo, the first coach of famous Roger Federer.

Dung already achieved international acclaim for young player by winning the women’s doubles and the runner-up at the World Tennis Championship for U-18s four years ago in Vietnam. In 2008, Dung won a bronze medal at the ITF Women’s Circuit held in Thailand in May – the first time a female Vietnamese tennis player had done so well internationally.

From early 2009, the national defending champion went to the USA for training with a target of soon reaching the world top 200.

VietNamNet/Nhan Dan