Dhruv Negi Fights Back to Win Vietnam International Series 2026 Title, Claims Second International Crown

Indian badminton player Dhruv Negi produced a composed comeback in the final to win the men's singles title at the Vietnam International Series 2026, defeating South Korea's Lee Yun Gyu in a hard-fought three-game contest.

Negi lost the opening game but responded strongly to claim an 18-21, 21-18, 21-15 victory, securing the second international title of his career. The victory marks another important milestone for the Indian shuttler, whose first international title came at the Guarani Open in Paraguay last year. In Vietnam, however, Negi's route to the trophy demonstrated not only his ability to win matches but also his capacity to recover from difficult situations.

In the final, he was forced to do exactly that.

The title clash began with Lee Yun Gyu taking the opening game 21-18. The South Korean had gained early control of the match and put Negi under immediate pressure. For any player competing in an international final, losing the opening game can significantly alter the dynamics of the contest. The margin for error becomes smaller, while the opponent gains momentum.

But Negi responded. The Indian shuttler raised his level in the second game and edged Lee 21-18 to take the match into a deciding third game. Having restored parity, Negi entered the decider with momentum on his side.

He made full use of it. Negi took control of the third game and closed out the contest 21-15, completing a comeback that gave him the Vietnam International Series title. The final scoreline of 18-21, 21-18, 21-15 reflected a match that changed direction after the opening game.

Negi did not panic after falling behind. Instead, he gradually worked his way back into the contest, levelled the match and produced his strongest finish in the deciding game. That ability to reset after losing a game can often be the difference between reaching a final and winning a title.

Negi's path to the title was marked by consistency. He opened his campaign in the Round of 64 against Malaysia's Chua Yi Xuan and secured a straight-games victory, winning 23-21, 21-14. The opening game was competitive, but Negi showed his ability to handle pressure in the closing stages before taking control of the second.

In the Round of 32, he defeated Daniel McMillan in another straight-games performance, winning 21-15, 21-10. Negi continued his progress in the Round of 16 against Chinese Taipei's Yi Liu. Once again, he avoided a deciding game, registering a 21-14, 21-19 victory. His quarterfinal against Thailand's Tanawat Yimjit proved to be one of the toughest matches of his campaign.

Negi lost the opening game 13-21 and once again had to come from behind. He responded with a strong 21-19 second game before taking the decider 21-11 to book his place in the semifinals. That match was an important test of his resilience. After being comfortably beaten in the opening game, Negi recovered to win two consecutive games and advance to the last four. The semifinal brought another demanding contest, this time against Hong Kong's Lam Ka To.

Negi lost the opening game 10-21, putting him under pressure for the second consecutive round. But once again, he found a way back. He won the second game 21-13 and completed another comeback with a 21-19 victory in the decider. By the time he reached the final, Negi had already shown that he could handle the pressure of three-game matches.

That experience proved valuable against Lee Yun Gyu.

One of the defining features of Negi's Vietnam International Series campaign was his ability to recover after setbacks. He came from a game down in the quarterfinal against Tanawat Yimjit. He repeated the feat in the semifinal against Lam Ka To. And in the final, with the title on the line, Negi once again lost the opening game before turning the contest around. Winning an international tournament requires more than simply producing one exceptional performance.

It requires consistency across multiple rounds, the ability to recover physically between matches and the mental strength to adapt when a match is not going according to plan. Negi demonstrated all of those qualities in Vietnam.

His final victory also completed a particularly satisfying sequence. After winning two comeback matches in the quarterfinal and semifinal, he faced another deficit in the championship match.

This time, the stakes were even higher. But the result remained the same.

The Vietnam International Series crown is Negi's second international title, following his victory at the Guarani Open in Paraguay last year. Winning a first title is an important breakthrough for any player. Winning another provides evidence that the first was not a one-off result. For Negi, the second title will offer confidence as he looks to build consistency and progress further on the international badminton circuit.

His Vietnam campaign also highlighted an encouraging aspect of his game: the ability to compete under pressure. Across the quarterfinal, semifinal and final, Negi played three consecutive matches that required him to come from behind.

He won all three.

The scorelines tell the story.

Quarterfinal: Lost 13-21, won 21-19, 21-11.

Semifinal: Lost 10-21, won 21-13, 21-19.

Final: Lost 18-21, won 21-18, 21-15.

In each of those matches, Negi faced a moment when his tournament could have ended. Instead, he responded.

That resilience was ultimately the difference between a deep run and a championship.

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The Vietnam International Series title will not define Dhruv Negi's career, but it represents another significant step in his development. International titles provide ranking points, confidence and, perhaps most importantly, validation that an athlete's training is translating into results. Negi now has two international trophies to his name.

More importantly, his latest title came through a tournament in which he repeatedly faced adversity and found a way through it. From a game down in the quarterfinal to a game down in the semifinal and finally a game down in the championship match, Negi showed a refusal to let setbacks dictate the result.

His 18-21, 21-18, 21-15 victory over Lee Yun Gyu was therefore more than a comeback in one final. It was the perfect summary of his entire week.

Dhruv Negi arrived in Vietnam looking for another opportunity.

He leaves with his second international title—and a tournament-winning performance built on resilience, composure and the ability to fight back when it mattered most.