In the Philippines, Thi Thanh Thuy Tran doesn’t just play — she shines.
The VTV Binh Dien Long An star, better known as T4, continued her winning ways on Philippine soil Saturday night.
She steered her team to the gold medal match of the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League after a stunning straight-sets victory over title favorites Beijing Baic Motor, 25-15, 25-19, 25-21, at the Philsports Arena.
This marks the second time in less than a year that Thuy will compete in an AVC final hosted by the Philippines. She previously helped Vietnam capture the Challenge Cup title against Kazakhstan at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum last May.
“I feel like the Philippines is a lucky charm for me and for our team. I love playing here — I love the energy of the crowd, and I’m just really happy to be back and playing again in the Philippines. It feels like a very lucky place for me,” said the 27-year-old winger.
The 2025 AVC Champions League is actually Thuy’s third tournament appearance in the country. She also competed in the 2024 FIVB Challenger Cup last July, where her team dominated Alas Pilipinas in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champions Czech Republic in the semifinals.
T4, who previously played alongside Creamline star Alyssa Valdez for Attack Line VC in Chinese Taipei, has become a crowd favorite among Filipino fans whenever she steps onto Philippine soil.
She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Filipino crowd for their unwavering support, noting that their cheers provide a tremendous boost not just for her, but for the entire team as well.
“Every time I hear the crowd cheering during the match, it gives me and the team such a big boost. It’s an amazing feeling, knowing that the fans are behind us and want us to win and do well. It really lifts us,” Thuy shared.
Thuy now hopes to ride the same wave of support when Binh Dien Long An battles Zhetysu VC for the championship tomorrow.
