At the age of 24, Thuy Dung – the top female tennis player in Vietnam – has begun to thinking more about his sport, and not only how to win.

Tennis courts are a growing feature in Vietnam, from small towns to big cities. However, there is a paradox: the number of amateur players is multiplying but the contingent of professional players remains stagnant.

As one of the several tennis players in Vietnam who have drilled and competed in “heavens of tennis” in the world, like the USA, Britain, Thailand, etc. Thuy Dung deeply understands this paradox.

She believed that Vietnam doesn’t lack young talents but it lacks a good investment plan in tennis.

“To attend international events, tennis players need a lot of investment. In the current conditions, it is extremely difficult for Vietnamese players to join the Southeast Asia circuit. Vietnam may win the first gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in the next 10-15 years. At present, senior players like Minh Quan, Mai Huynh and Quoc Khanh have passed on their pinnacle while the younger players have not taken the right track,” Dung said.

Thuy Dung joined the professional tennis circles quite late. Thanks to her family’s support, Dung had the chance to participate in many international tournaments.

“Playing tennis for ten years, I used to think of giving up tennis many times,” Dung said, adding that she had to take care of everything at once.  Unlike Dung professional tennis players often have a manager.

Dung is nurturing the plan to set up a tennis institute in Hanoi, to seek young talents. She took advantage of overseas trips to learn about the operation of foreign sports institutes. She was very impressed by the professionalism of foreign players and she wished Vietnamese players would be professional like them in the near future.

“To change tennis in Vietnam, the entire system must be changed. One or two persons can do nothing. But I think that I myself must do well firstly. If I do well, I can influence others,” Dung said.

Dung is turning her dream into reality step by step: becoming a tennis coach in her own tennis institute.

Thuy Dung naturally loves tennis as she often goes to tennis courts with her father. Dung began to show her talent in tennis when she was twelve. Dung’ family realized that professional tennis would be the right direction for their beloved daughter.

She was sent to the USA, the UK and Thailand to attend various training sessions. With her great efforts, Dung’s dream in 2006 come true after she defeated five-time champion Huynh Mai Huynh to win the Cup at the National Games.

After her first hallmark, Dung continued her enduous practice. At the national tennis championship 2008, she earned prize money worth around US$10,000 which was much smaller than the investment of Dung’s family to their daughter.

Dung once underwent long-term training at the Vicbaden tennis institute in Los Angeles, which cost a staggering US$8,000 a month. In 2008, Dung spent most of the time in Thailand for her training at her parent’s expense (nearly US$90,000 of living expenses a year). Dung was also once trained by coach Dodo, the first coach of famous Roger Federer.

Dung already achieved international acclaim for young player by winning the women’s doubles and the runner-up at the World Tennis Championship for U-18s four years ago in Vietnam. In 2008, Dung won a bronze medal at the ITF Women’s Circuit held in Thailand in May – the first time a female Vietnamese tennis player had done so well internationally.

In 2009, Dung went to the USA for training with a target of soon reaching the world top 200.

She is currently the top female tennis player in Vietnam.

Source: VNN