Dominant form: The fifth seed Nguyen Hoang Thien defeated the fourth seed Do Minh Quan 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 during a match in the Viet Nam Masters in HCM City yesterday. — Photo vtf.org.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Nguyen Hoang Thien defeated Do Minh Quan in the first match of Group A in the Viet Nam Masters in HCM City.

The fifth seed won 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 over the fourth seed, who dominated the national tennis championships for several years before slipping down the rankings earlier this year.

In the next match, HCM City's Thien, the national runner-up, will play the top seed, Pham Minh Tuan of Da Nang.

Tuan yesterday beat Tran Hoang Anh Khoa of Military 6-3, 6-3.

Host athletes Quan and Khoa will play in later matches of the group.

In Group B, Le Quoc Khanh retired in the third set. He was 3-6, 7-5, 3-1 down against his Hanoian rival Trinh Linh Giang before he quit.

In the other match, Military representative Tran Thanh Hoang came from behind to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 against his teammate, Ho Huynh Dan Mach.

Today, Khanh will face Mach, while Hoang meets Giang.

In the women's competition, the higher-ranking seeds earned easy victories in the second match of the group round.

Huynh Phuong Dai Trang of HCM City beat Le Thi Thanh Thuy of Kien Giang 6-0, 6-0, while Huynh Phi Khanh won 6-2, 6-3 against Tay Ninh's Tran Thi Thanh Thanh.

Meanwhile, Tran Thi Tam Hao defeated Dao Minh Trang 6-2, 6-2, while Nguyen Ai Ngoc Van trounced Si Boi Ngoc 6-4, 6-2.

The Masters, an end-of-year tournament, offers a total of VND280 million (US$13,300) in prize money. The cream of the crop will be selected for the country's David Cup and the Fed Cup qualification rounds.

The finals are scheduled for December 31.

The organisers plan to open the event to regional competitors in the near future. — VNS