Nguyen’s successful day included a first-round 21-16 21-12 victory over Belgium’s Elias Bracke and a R16 21-14 21-12 win over Denmark’s Jeppe Braun.

Rachael Darragh, on the women’s singles table, sealed her victory with a 21-17 21-10 win over Chinese Taipei’s Li Tzu Pei. She then fought hard to secure a place in the quarterfinals, defeating England’s Miu Lin Ngan, 21-19 14-21 21-15.

“I think I woke up this morning quite nervous to play that game at home, as always. Just that little bit of pressure playing in front of family and friends and your whole team that works with you day in and day out. So, I'm glad I got through in two sets. Once I actually relaxed and got a good feel for the hall, I think the second set was quite comfortable,” shared Darragh.

Nguyen discussed the nuances of being a role model for younger generations in Ireland, saying, "The crowd definitely gives a lot of encouragement, but it can be a good thing or a bad thing, right? So, I'm trying to look at it as a positive thing moving forward, just being a role model and trying to set the standard high for myself and also potentially for the sport in Ireland. I'm trying to do my best every day to set the standard high.”

Darragh, on a more personal note, emphasised the significant impact her family’s support had on her, stating, “I could hear my mom screaming for me. I haven't heard her behind me in a very long time, so that was really nice. And my little cousin, who's only four, was there, and I could hear his voice as well. It kind of stood out a lot, that one. It was really nice to have so many people cheering. It definitely helps. It's just nice to have the home support, and you don't really get that often.”

 

For all other results on day two of the Irish Open, click here.