Vietnam’s top badminton player, Nguyen Tien Minh, will play the first game at the Open Japan Tournament, the eighth tournament in the World Badminton Federation’s Super Series with total bonus of $200,000.
During the three-month interval of the Super Series, Tien Minh entered the quarter-final of the World Championship, won the second prize at the US Open tournament, the championship of the Vietnam Open Tournament and the championship of the Vietnam Championship several days ago.

He is now ready for the second half of the Super Series, which begins today and last until the end of 2011.

At this moment, Tien Minh ranks 12th in the world, with 22,020 points. He jumped up for four grades, from 16th, on the World Badminton Federation’s ranking after entering the quarter-final of the Open Indonesia tournament in June.

To be among the top eight players to be invited to the Super Series Final later this year, Tien Minh will have to try his best at the remaining competitions from now to the year end.

The Open Japan tournament attracts five world champions, including Lin Dan and Chen Jin from China.

Listed as the 7th seed, Tien Minh will face India’s Ajay Jayaram (world’s 25th) today.

TA