On his way to victory, he defeated veteran star Nguyễn Tiến Minh, a four-time Olympian for Vietnam, in the quarterfinals.
Following the tournament, Lê Đức Phát spoke with reporters from Gia Lai Broadcasting and Newspaper.
How did you feel after overcoming your senior Nguyễn Tiến Minh in this tournament?
Nguyễn Tiến Minh and I have faced each other about 10 times in domestic tournaments, and every match against him has been tough. Today, I was fortunate to be in good form and managed to win.
During your time competing in Quy Nhơn, what left the biggest impression on you?
This is my first time in Quy Nhơn, a place even more beautiful than I imagined. The cuisine is fantastic, and the people are kind and hospitable.
Over the past few days, I’ve enjoyed many delicious dishes and had the chance to meet young fans, everyone was so cheerful.
That made me very happy. The cheers from the crowd at the arena also gave me extra motivation to give my all in the matches.
With your frequent competition experience, how do you assess the level of Vietnamese athletes in recent years?
In recent years, Vietnamese athletes have made rapid progress thanks to opportunities to compete internationally, participate in training trips, and work with foreign experts. This is a very positive sign for Vietnamese sports in general and badminton in particular.
I’ve been lucky to observe and learn while competing on almost every continent. When facing top world players, I often feel “overwhelmed” by the differences, not just in skill level, but also in the strong support teams, significant investment, personal chefs, dedicated doctors, and excellent health care. It’s this comprehensive support that allows athletes to reach the highest levels.
Compared to the international standard, we still have limitations and have not yet reached the level of elite athletes. To improve, I myself need to work even harder in training and competition. I hope that in the future, athletes will receive more attention and investment, enabling us to achieve outstanding results.
After this tournament, you’ll be competing in several international events, especially the 33rd SEA Games. How are you preparing for these competitions?
For the rest of the year, I’ll participate in 4-5 international tournaments in Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and India. After that, I’ll focus all my efforts on the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, the most important event for me this year.
During this period, I’m trying to maintain my form and avoid injuries. My goal is to give my best for the Military team and contribute to Vietnamese sports.
Pickleball has recently surged in popularity and attracted many participants. In your opinion, what should Vietnamese badminton do to retain players?
Pickleball has become very popular recently, not just in Vietnam but worldwide. It’s spreading quickly because it’s easy to play and attracts many sponsors and abundant funding, whereas badminton is still more limited in this regard.
I hope that in the near future, badminton will attract more sponsorship, which would be great for the sport’s development.
Personally, I believe badminton is well-suited to the physique of Vietnamese people. If properly invested in and with a clear development roadmap, I believe that in just 5-10 years, Vietnam could have around 10 players among the world’s elite.
Thank you for this interesting conversation!
Lê Đức Phát (born 1988, from Quảng Trị, currently living in Ho Chi Minh City). He is ranked 95th in the world men’s singles.
*Champion: Pakistan International Series (2017)
*Bronze: Nepal International Tournament (2017–2018)
*Champion: Tajikistan International Series (2023)
*Runner-up: Ciputra International Challenge (2023)
*Champion: Uganda International Challenge (2024)
*Direct qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics