Do Tuan Duc and Pham Nhu Thao saved Vietnam from finishing empty handed at the Ciputra Hanoi-Yonex Sunrise Vietnam International Challenge 2018, as they won their mixed doubles final match against Russian opponents on March 25, to earn the host country’s only gold medal in this year’s event.

Do Tuan Duc and Pham Nhu Thao (left) bring home the solitary gold medal for Vietnam. 

With the fanatic support of the local fans, the Hanoi duo fought back from a set down at 20-22 to beat Evgenij Dremin and Evgenij Dimova 2-1, with two consecutive triumphs of 24-22 and 21-15 in the next two sets.

Alongside the mixed doubles title, Vietnam also pocketed one bronze medal in the women’s singles category, thanks to the brilliance of another Hanoi player, Nguyen Thuy Linh.

Vietnam's no. 1 shuttler, Nguyen Tien Minh, play under form in this year's competition.

Vietnam’s greatest hope, world no. 48 and no. 2 seed Nguyen Tien Minh, could not defend his men’s singles crown after losing 1-2 (20-22, 21-9, 21-23) to the Indonesian underdog, world no. 278 Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo, in the quarterfinals.

Vu Thi Trang follows her husband, Tien Minh, to stop in the women's singles quarterfinals.

The brightest Vietnamese competitor in the women’s singles competition, world no. 48 Vu Thi Trang, also failed to live up to expectations, succumbing to a 0-2 quarterfinal defeat (19-21, 8-21) against world no. 201 Liang Ting Yu of Chinese Taipei.

The four-day annual tournament brought together more than 290 shuttlers, representing 18 countries around the world, with Vietnam being represented by 67 competitors in all five events: the men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and the mixed doubles discipline.

Nhan Dan