VietNamNet Bridge – Teenager Nguyen Hoang Thien will play his first ever Grand Slam for juniors in Sydney on Friday.


Nguyen Hoang Thien.
Thien, who currently ranks 212th in the International Tennis Federation (ITF)'s junior rankings, has been the first Vietnamese player competing in a Grand Slam tournament.


As scheduled, the 16-year-old will play in the qualifying round from Friday to next Wednesday.


The HCM City-born won two titles of the ITF's U-18 in Binh Duong and Bac Lieu last September before qualifying for semi-final at Dunlop Orange Bowl tournament for U-16 in the US later last year.


Thien is now coached by France's Tom Kindavong and Marcel Donminique.


Born in 1995, Thien first stepped onto a tennis court at the age of eight.


His target is to break into the top 200 in the world by the time he's 18.


The teenager will then compete in two U-18 tournaments in New Zealand after finishing the Sydney event.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News