Nguyen Thuy Linh Overcomes Travel Hurdles to Compete at All England Open

Birmingham, England – Vietnam’s number one badminton player, Nguyen Thuy Linh, is set to compete in the All England Open Championships 2026, despite facing significant travel disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

A Race Against Time

Earlier concerns arose that Nguyen Thuy Linh might be unable to travel to England for the tournament, which runs from March 3rd to 8th. Her original flight on February 28th was canceled due to the closure of Qatari airspace, making transit impossible. I don’t know if I’ll make it to Birmingham this year. I’m hoping for a miracle and good luck, Nguyen Thuy Linh shared on social media.

After considerable effort, a modern flight was secured, though the journey proved arduous. Nguyen Thuy Linh’s travel involved changes in Mumbai, India, and Paris, France, resulting in a nearly 20-hour trip before finally arriving in Birmingham.

Preparation and Competition

Upon arrival, Nguyen Thuy Linh immediately began training at the Utilita Arena to prepare for the competition. She will be training with American player of Chinese descent, Zhang Beiwen, a familiar colleague from previous international tournaments.

Nguyen Thuy Linh’s first match in the women’s singles main draw is scheduled for tomorrow against Denmark’s Line Christophersen, currently ranked 24th in the world. The two players have met twice before, with Nguyen Thuy Linh winning both matches with a score of 2-1. Her most recent victory over Christophersen came at the Malaysia Masters last year, with set scores of 20/22, 21/11, and 21/18.

Tournament Details

The 2026 All England Open Championships is a Badminton World Tour Super 1000 event, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The tournament boasts a total prize pool of US$1.45 million (approximately VND37 billion) and features only the highest-ranked players in the BWF rankings. Nguyen Thuy Linh is the sole representative from Vietnam competing in this prestigious event.

Source: thanhnien.vn