Thailand Masters 2025 is the first badminton tournament of the new season for Le Duc Phat. Instead of being with his family during Tet, he was in Thailand to attend the tournament taking place from January 28 (29th of Tet) to February 2 (5th of Tet) at Nimibutr Stadium, Bangkok.
With this schedule, it is almost certain that Vietnam's No. 1 male tennis player will be away from home for the entire 2025 Lunar New Year holiday in Vietnam.
Speaking to Lao Dong, tennis player Le Duc Phat shared: "I have competed away from home a few times during Tet. The first time was in 2022 when I went to Denmark for training, preparing for the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam. In 2023, I competed again in Iran to compete for a ticket to the 2024 Olympics.
This feeling is very special every time I feel a little sad. I miss the Tet atmosphere and my family. During the days leading up to Tet, I practice to maintain my routine so I can’t go home. Before, I used to take advantage of the time to go shopping for Tet with my parents and clean the house. But for the past 2-3 years, I have been practicing far from home so I haven’t been able to do that either.
Everything is for my career. This gives me more motivation to compete. After the tournament, I will arrange to visit my family early in the first days of the new year."
Le Duc Phat is the only representative of Vietnam participating in this tournament. Thailand Masters 2025 is a tournament at the BWF World Tour Super 300 level of badminton, gathering many strong players such as Kunlavut Vitidsarn (ranked 5th in the world), Chico Wardoyo (ranked 32nd), Jia Heng Jason Teh (ranked 33rd in the world), Irish player of Vietnamese origin Nhat Nguyen...
The 1998-born player did not have to compete in the men's singles qualifying round but was able to participate in the main round (round 1). Le Duc Phat's chances of passing the first round are relatively bright because he only has to face players from the qualifying round.
The big challenge will come to the representative of Vietnam in the next rounds. According to the draw results, Le Duc Phat is in the same bracket as Kunlavut Vitidsarn - the host country's player who is seeded No. 1 in the tournament, ranked No. 5 in the world. He is also one of the candidates for the men's singles badminton championship at the 33rd SEA Games in 2025.
If he advances further, Duc Phat could face this formidable opponent in the second round or quarterfinals. Although many difficulties await, the male athlete from Ho Chi Minh City expressed his determination before the competition day.
"Thailand Masters 2025 brings together almost all the strong players in the world's top 50. I will try to compete well and aim to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament. If I can do this, I will be in the world's top 50 next week," said Le Duc Phat.
Le Duc Phat's first match at Thailand Masters 2025 will take place at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow (January 29, the first day of Tet Vietnam time). His opponent is Zhu Xuan Chen (China).
"I will try my best in this match. I hope to have a victory for everyone on the first day of Tet," Duc Phat determined.
