VietNamNet Bridge – Defending champion Do Minh Quan is on track to defend his title at the national tennis championship after he overcame tough opponent Nguyen Hoang Thien to book his place in the semi-finals.

HCM City-based Quan, 29, won the first set 7-6 (5) and scores were even at 2-2 in the second when Thien, also from HCM City, could not continue because of cramps.

"He had a cramp and could not continue. I think it was caused by the pressure that Thien faced in the second game," said Tom Kindavong, Thien's coach.

Despite losing to Viet Nam's long-time No 1 tennis player, Thien, 16, showed the progress he has made after a year of working with French coaches.

"Thien played better than last year, and he played the closest match ever with Quan today," said Nguyen Ngoc Minh, Thien's father.

Thien began the match strongly and had two break points in the first game but failed to convert both. Quan broke Thien in the second game to lead 2-0.

With accurate backhands and powerful forehands, Thien had chances to break Quan again, but he missed six break points in the third game.

Quan broke Thien again in the sixth game to lead 5-1, but Thien delighted the spectators, most of whom were backing him, by clawing back to 5-5.

Both Quan and Thien then saved three break points to keep their service games before going into the tiebreak.

Two players continued to exchange gripping rallies and fought for every point. The score was 3-3, then 5-5. A successful attack at the net forced a backhand error from Thien, giving Quan the first set after nearly two hours.

"Thien has considerably improved his skills. His backhands are very good and his forehands are strong as well but his weakness is psychological," Quan said.

Quan will face his teammate Le Quoc Khanh in the semi-finals. Khanh beat Pham Minh Tuan of Da Nang 6-4, 6-1 in the quarter-finals.

The other semi-final match will be played between Ngo Quang Huy of HCM City and Ho Huynh Dan Mach of Binh Duong. Huy overcame the Army's Tran Hoang Anh Khoa 6-3, 6-3 while Mach beat Da Nang's Le Minh, who retired with the score reading 4-6, 6-1, 4-3.

On the women's side, Da Nang's Huynh Phuong Dai Trang had to work hard for a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Tran Thi Tam Hao of HCM City.

Trang will face Tran Lam Anh of HCM City in the final today. Anh brushed aside Phan Thi Thanh Binh of Da Nang in the other semi-final.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News