Tennis

HÀ NỘI — Seventeen-year-old Tiffany Linh Nguyễn has marked a milestone in her 10-year career by winning the first title at the Việt Nam National Best Tennis Players Tournament.

Vietnamese American Tiffany is homeschooled, but four universities in the United States have offered her scholarships. These include Wesleyan University, University of Southern Mississippi, University of South Dakota and University of Missouri.

“I have never gone to school as my mother homeschools me under the American programme. I am in Class 12 and now four universities in the United States have offered me their fellowships,” said Linh.

“Two of my elder brothers had visited the United States after finishing Class 12 in Việt Nam under the US programme. My mother teaches us,” Linh said.

Her mother, Karen Nguyễn, said she wanted her children to enrol in a US study programme early, so she looked up plans in the internet to teach her children.

“I spend four hours every day training them at home. Each child has a different ability to acquire knowledge, so I adjust accordingly. I get tired sometimes, but I am glad to be teaching my children,” said Karen, who is director of International Relations at Bình Dương University.

According to Linh, she will pursue both studies and tennis.

“I haven’t thought about any colleges yet, but I think I will take up nutrition, a branch that my father specialises in. As an athlete, nutrition is very important to me. Meanwhile, I will continue playing tennis as it is my passion,” said Linh.

Family’s support

When Linh was three months old, her parents left the United States to move to Việt Nam. They first lived in HCM City and then shifted to Vũng Tàu. Linh is the only daughter among five siblings, and but she has a taste for tennis, like her father, Nguyễn Công Toại.

Coach Trần Đức Quỳnh discovered Linh’s talent when she was seven years old. Quỳnh invited her to train in Becamex Bình Dương Club.

As people loved tennis, Toại and his wife wanted their daughter to excel in the sport, they moved to Bình Dương to settle.

Standing 1.78m tall, Linh has made fast progress in tennis every year. With her skill and determination, she dominated in junior tennis events but failed to beat veterans at the senior tournaments.

However, at the Việt Nam National Best Tennis Players Tournament held in the central province of Nghệ An last December, Tiffany defeated leading players of Việt Nam, such as Trần Thị Tâm Hảo and Sĩ Bội Ngọc, to claim the women’s title.

“I was very happy. My parents were proud of me as my training efforts of 10 years were repaid. Sometimes, I used to get discouraged when I didn’t play well but my father always encouraged me,” said Linh. — VNS