The Thailand Grand Prix 2009 championship helped Nguyen Tien Minh, Vietnam’s number-one badminton player, to jump five grades on the International Badminton Confederation’s rankings, to enter the world top ten for the first time.

The International Badminton Confederation released its latest rankings on July 30. Tien Minh seeds the ninth, with 43.310 points. The Thailand Grand Prix 2009 championship brought about 7000 points to Tien Minh.

“I’m so happy with the news. This is an important landmark in my career. I’m worried how to maintain this position,” he said.

This is the best position in Tien Minh’s badminton career and this is the first time a Vietnamese badminton player present in the world top ten. Previously, Minh’s highest result was 11^th.

Tien Minh can earn higher positions if he plays well at the upcoming world championships in India from August 10-16.

According to draw results, in the first round, Minh will face a rival whose ranking is 38 graders below Tien Minh. If he is the winner in the first match, he will confront the winner in the match between France’s Brice Leverdez (42^nd) and Hungary’s Henrik Toth (120^th).

Tien Minh’s opportunity is said very big. However, Minh worried that his health will not good enough for the event.

“I played at four tournaments in the last over one month so my health is not very good at this moment, Minh said”. “I will challenge rivals who have lower positions than mine but they are strong ones so I will be very carefully. However, I’ll try at my best each match to enter the next round”.

If he gets into the round of the top 16 players, Tien Minh may face the world’s number-one player, Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia. Minh defeated Lee Chong Wei at the Open Singapore Badminton Tournament in June 2009.

“If I see Wei again, I think it is very difficult to defeat him because he is at higher level than me. However, I will try my best and play in relax,” Minh said.

Minh is preparing for this key event. He will go to India on August 8.

VietNamNet/VNE