The gap needs to be filled.

On the evening of May 3rd, in Denmark, the South Korean women's badminton team defeated the Chinese team with a score of 3-1, thereby winning the 2026 Women's Team Badminton World Championship (Uber Cup).

This was an impressive victory for the South Korean women's team against their opponent, considered the world's number one powerhouse with 16 previous titles. Notably, the key factor came from the 2-1 victory of a South Korean pair, not considered the strongest, against the world's number 4 ranked Chinese women's doubles pair. This result demonstrates the unpredictability of top-level badminton, while also highlighting the role of tactical use of force and the appeal of doubles events in team competitions.

Looking back at Vietnamese badminton after that "earthquake," the question is: when will we be able to participate in top-level tournaments like the Uber Cup?

The answer is not easy, because in reality, the number of players participating in doubles badminton in Vietnam is very limited. Currently, in both men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles, very few pairs of athletes are close to the top 100 in the world. According to the rankings published at the end of April 2026, it is extremely difficult to find a Vietnamese representative in the top 100: the men's doubles pair Nguyen Dinh Hoang - Tran Dinh Manh (ranked 88th). With such strength, competing for a spot in the finals of major team tournaments such as the Uber Cup (women), Thomas Cup (men), or Sudirman Cup (mixed) is extremely difficult, especially since the Asian region usually only has 4 out of 16 spots, and these are mainly taken by top teams.

With a thin squad and low skill level due to insufficient funding and limitations in selection and training—with more attention focused on singles events—Vietnam has little hope of reaching the finals of the Uber Cup, Thomas Cup, etc. At regional and continental sports events, the already small chances, given the presence of world badminton powerhouses like China and Japan (ASIAD) or Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia (SEA Games), are even smaller as Vietnamese badminton often focuses on singles events, neglecting opportunities in team events.

It's time for Vietnamese badminton to change its approach to youth selection and training, creating more opportunities for doubles players to prepare a strong team capable of participating in important international tournaments. Men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles players need to share the costs of international competitions to accumulate points, improve their rankings, and gain experience. A country that prides itself on having one of the most vibrant badminton movements cannot be satisfied with only occasionally having one or two stars in the top 20 in singles; the team competition is almost a blank slate.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/khoang-trong-can-duoc-lap-day-749083.html