Nguyễn Thùy Linh made the world champion sweat at the tournament with a history of 127 years.

Nguyễn Thùy Linh continues to be the greatest hope for Vietnamese badminton in elite international competitions.

March 11, 2025, witnessed one of Nguyễn Thùy Linh’s finest performances in her BWF World Tour career. Facing Akane Yamaguchi — a former world number one and two-time World Championship winner at the time — the "Vietnamese badminton beauty" showed an impressive display despite the loss, making the "Robot Cat" sweat heavily during her opening match at the All England Open — the oldest tournament in the world, first held in 1899.

There is no doubt that Akane Yamaguchi is at a higher level, an enormous mountain for Thùy Linh to climb. Specifically at the All England Open, Yamaguchi won the title in 2022 and was runner-up twice in 2018 and 2024. With agile footwork, excellent stamina, and a consistent playing style that minimizes errors, Yamaguchi always knows how to neutralize her opponent’s strengths. Meanwhile, Nguyễn Thùy Linh stands out with an aggressive, inspired style that also carries risks.

The two players had met once before at the 2023 Canada Open, where Thùy Linh lost in two sets. Before their rematch at the 2025 All England Open, few expected the Vietnamese player to surprise the highly skilled and experienced opponent in major tournaments.

Nevertheless, the first game showed Nguyễn Thùy Linh playing with confidence and impressiveness. The Phú Thọ native continuously executed smooth, creative shots, especially delicate net plays that troubled Yamaguchi, who was just returning from injury. The match was tightly contested with close scores.

However, at critical moments, the composure of the world-class player prevailed. Yamaguchi accelerated at the right time, narrowly winning 21-19 to take the lead after the opening game, leaving Thùy Linh with much regret.

In the second game, the Japanese player quickly regained her familiar rhythm. Sharp smashes and solid defense allowed Yamaguchi to control the match gradually. Meanwhile, Thùy Linh could no longer maintain stability, especially when responding to deep and fast shots from her opponent. The score gap widened until Yamaguchi closed the game at 21-12.

In the end, Nguyễn Thùy Linh lost to Akane Yamaguchi 0-2 (19-21; 12-21) and was eliminated in the first round of the 2025 All England Open. Although the result was not as hoped, her performance in the first game demonstrated commendable effort and fighting spirit against one of the women’s badminton "Big 4" in the world.

Also in 2025, Thùy Linh defeated many other notable players such as former world champion Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (twice), former world number one Ratchanok Intanon, 2024 Japan Open runner-up Natsuki Nidaira, and others. The Phú Thọ native claimed three runner-up titles at Super 300 tournaments, earned a silver medal at the Super 100 Vietnam Open, and reached her highest world ranking of 17th after her Canada Open success. It was a memorable season for the "Vietnamese badminton beauty".