Young Vietnamese shuttler crowned champion on Philippine soil

Loi faced Malaysia’s Leong Di Shan in the final in what proved to be a tense and dramatic three-game battle.

The Vietnamese player endured a narrow setback in the opening game.

After a closely fought contest, he eventually lost 20-22.

However, under considerable pressure, Loi responded impressively.

He regained his momentum in the second game and secured a 22-17 victory to force a decisive third game.

Loi made a strong start to the decider, taking a 3-0 lead, but Shan immediately fought back to level the score at 4-4.

Neither player was able to establish a clear advantage during the first half of the game.

The Malaysian shuttler then moved ahead at one stage in the second half, relying on powerful smashes to put Loi under pressure.

The Vietnamese teenager remained composed and defended resolutely, repeatedly neutralizing his opponent's attacks.

As Shan began to tire, Loi seized his opportunity and produced a crucial run of points.

He eventually closed out the third game 21-16, securing the U19 men’s singles championship and a US$400 prize.

While Loi celebrated his breakthrough, his teammate Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen was left with mixed emotions after finishing runner-up in two finals on the same day.

Her first final came in the U19 mixed doubles, where she partnered Loi.

Facing Malaysia’s top-seeded Khashah-Maisarah pair, the Vietnamese duo were unable to produce an upset and suffered a 0-2 defeat.

Huyen later returned to the court for the U19 women’s singles final against Thailand’s Kakanik.

The Thai player was the No. 3 seed, while Huyen was seeded fourth, suggesting that the two players were relatively evenly matched.

However, Kakanik proved to have the greater physical endurance as the match progressed.

Despite a determined effort, Huyen eventually lost after three hard-fought games.

Born in 2008, Loi is currently ranked 587th in the world in men’s singles and 37th in the world junior rankings.

Huyen, born in 2011, is ranked 290th in the world and 48th among junior players.

Both teenagers are regarded as promising prospects for Vietnamese badminton, having made rapid progress and delivered increasingly impressive performances over the past several years.