During her recent European tour in October and early November, Linh made it to the second round of the Denmark Open Super 750, where she was defeated by world number 11 Supanida Katethong. She then advanced to the quarterfinals at the Hylo Open Super 300 in Germany but lost to India’s Malvika Bansod on Nov. 1. The loss was especially disappointing as Bansod was considered a weaker opponent whom Linh had previously faced at the Denmark Open two weeks prior.
Reflecting on her performance, Linh expressed disappointment at not meeting fans’ expectations. She attributed part of her struggle to a packed competition schedule that has taken its toll on her throughout the year.
“I have had a year of continuous competition, from the Paris Olympic qualifiers to various tournaments. My physical condition began to show signs of overload, and my mind was also tired,” Linh told VnExpress.
“Competing alone abroad is also not easy. Despite my efforts, there came a point when I felt exhausted both mentally and physically.”
Linh’s 2024 schedule included her participation in three BWF World Tour Super 1,000 tournaments in England (March), Indonesia (June) and China (September), where she exited in the first round of each. She also competed in Super 750 events in India (January), France (March) and Singapore (May). Additionally, she took part in lower-level tournaments to accumulate points for her Paris Olympic qualification in July.
The 27-year-old player is currently dealing with multiple injuries, including back pain, left heel issues and a bleeding right heel due to the strain of extended competition and travel.
She plans to withdraw from the remaining international tournaments in 2024, starting with the Korea Open.
“I never want to appear on the court looking tired or not giving my all,” Linh said. “Maintaining my ranking and competing internationally is no longer a priority now that the Paris Olympics are over. I need time to heal, recover and regain my strength both physically and mentally.”
Linh began playing professionally at 14 and claimed victory at the 2015 national championship for elite players at 18.
She has been Vietnam’s top female badminton player since 2018, winning seven consecutive national championships. Linh has also triumphed at the Vietnam Open three times in a row since 2022 and represented her country at both the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and Paris Olympics 2024.
She is currently 31st on the world ranking.
