Yu Takes Down Top Seed Oncins To Shake Up Vietnam Brackets
| October 1, 2025
The MB Vietnam Cup delivered immediate drama on Tuesday as top seed Eric Oncins became the tournament’s first major casualty, falling to Thomas Yu in straight games.
Oncins, who claimed his first Championship Sunday gold at last week’s Panas Malaysia Cup, discovered how quickly fortunes can change in back-to-back tournaments. The Brazilian couldn’t find his rhythm against Yu, dropping a 2-0 (11-5, 11-7) decision that sent shockwaves through the draw.
Revenge and Marathons Highlight Opening Day
Ben Johns wasted no time settling scores in Men’s Doubles. Partnering with Dekel Bar, Johns dominated the Vietnamese duo of Hien Truong and Quan Do 2-0 (11-1, 11-8) – the same pair who pushed him to three games in Malaysia.
The day’s most dramatic scoreline came from Men’s Doubles, where Thomas Yu and Santhosh Narayanan survived a thriller against Jason Taylor and Mitchell Hargreaves. After dropping the first game 10-12, Yu and Narayanan held their nerve and the match to claim consecutive 12-10 games and advance.
Mixed Doubles delivered its own marathon as top seeds Tyson McGuffin and Chao Yi Wang needed over an hour to subdue Len Yang and Wei Ting Chieh 2-1 (12-10, 6-11, 13-11). The grueling match tested both teams’ endurance heading into Thursday’s quarterfinals.
Vietnam Set to Light Up Quarterfinals
Quarterfinal action promises electric atmosphere as Vietnam secured three of four spots in the Men’s Singles bottom half. Panas Malaysia Open champion Giang Trinh faces Hoang Nam Ly in an all-Vietnamese clash, while Hong Kong Open winner and Panas Malaysia Cup finalist Wong Hong Kit takes on Hien Truong.
The top half features Thomas Yu riding his upset momentum against Japan’s Kenta Miyoshi. Miyoshi brings serious credentials including a PPA Tour Australia title earned by defeating Wong in New Zealand.
Women’s Singles delivers the day’s blockbuster as Kaitlyn Christian, carrying double gold momentum from Malaysia, meets 4-time PPA Tour Asia champion Yufei Long. It’s PPA Tour #3 against Asia’s most dominant player in a quarterfinal worth the price of admission.
Quarterfinal action begins Thursday at 8am (GMT+7) with the tournament wide open after day one’s surprises
