Dong Nai young badminton talent makes impressive jump to world No. 328

Dong Nai’s young badminton player Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen has made an impressive leap on the women’s singles rankings of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), rising to world No. 328 as of January 1, 2026.

The young Dong Nai player achieves impressive competitive results in December 2025, rising to a world ranking of 328. Photo: File

Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen, a player born in 2011 and a member of the Dong Nai provincial badminton team, continues her strong rise by climbing 64 places compared with the previous week to reach world No. 328, earning 3,480 points.

In the previous update at the end of December 2025, Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen had also made a significant breakthrough, jumping 650 places in the rankings to officially break into the world’s top 400 at No. 392. This rapid rise stemmed from her outstanding performance at the Bangladesh International Challenge 2025. Entering the tournament from the qualification rounds due to her low ranking, the young Dong Nai player not only advanced to the main draw but also delivered an excellent run to the semifinals, where she eventually bowed out, securing the bronze medal.

Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen ranks world No. 328.  Photo: Screenshot

The impressive rise closed a breakthrough month of international competition in Bangladesh, where the young Dong Nai player recorded strong results at two consecutive tournaments, the Bangladesh International Challenge and the Bangladesh International Series, held in December. Few would have expected that just one month earlier, the player born in 2011 had been ranked No. 1,042 in the world. But by the early-2026 rankings, Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen had climbed a total of 714 places, from No. 1,042 to No. 328, by defeating many strong opponents and accumulating important ranking points at the international tournaments in Bangladesh. This accomplishment is considered a historic leap in elite badminton and the most impressive jump on the rankings at the start of this year.

Player Nguyen Thuy Linh remains ranked world No. 22. Photo: Screenshot

With her current ranking, Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen has become the fourth-highest ranked Vietnamese women’s singles player, behind Nguyen Thuy Linh (world No. 22, 49,410 points), Vu Thi Trang (No. 138), and Bui Bich Phuong (No. 317).

By Huy Anh – Translated by Thu Hien, Minho