Entering the match, Thuy Linh was rated lower than her opponent by 9 places in the world rankings. However, the advantage in head-to-head record helped the Vietnamese player enter the game confidently. The first set witnessed a tight match when the two sides continuously changed points. Thuy Linh actively used powerful spikes, while her opponent leaned towards controlling the ball and pulling the net. After the initial balanced phase, the Vietnamese representative broke away to lead points, but also encountered no few difficulties against the opponent's pursuit. Despite losing an advantage at times, she still managed to regain her rhythm to win narrowly 21-19.
In the second set, Thuy Linh played more brightly when she soon created a safe gap. Effective net attacks and drop shots helped her maintain the lead for most of the time. However, at the decisive moment, inaccuracy in handling situations caused the Vietnamese player to lose the advantage, letting her opponent come back to win 22-20.
The third set was tense when the two players continuously competed for each point. Thuy Linh was still the one who took the initiative, but could not create a large gap. The score was pulled to 20-20 before the player from Phu Tho showed bravery, scoring two decisive points in a row to close the match with a 22-20 victory after 1 hour and 8 minutes of play.
Orleans Masters is a tournament under the World Tour system of Badminton World Federation, Super 300 level, gathering about 400 players from more than 40 countries, with a total prize money of 240,000 USD.
This victory helped Nguyen Thuy Linh win the right to enter the next round, where she will face Lo Sin Yan Happy. This is predicted to continue to be a noteworthy challenge for the number one female tennis player in Vietnam in her journey at the tournament.
