Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin has achieved a major breakthrough after winning the 2026 Vietnam Open, ending a 27-month wait for a BWF World Tour men’s singles title for Malaysia.
The 26-year-old independent shuttler, ranked world No. 91, defeated top seed Jason Teh of Singapore, ranked No. 33, 21-16, 21-14 in the final on Sept 13.
Aidil was dropped from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) national programme in 2024 following a restructuring of the squad. He subsequently continued his career as an independent player, funding his own participation in international tournaments.
His Vietnam Open victory earned him US$8,250 (about RM33,580) and valuable ranking points that are expected to move him into the world’s top 70.
The higher ranking could allow Aidil to gain direct entry into the main draws of more BWF tournaments, reducing the need to compete in qualifying rounds.
His victory is Malaysia’s first BWF World Tour men’s singles title in 27 months.
