Singapore Badminton Star Jessica Tan Retires after 14-Year Career, Shifts Focus to Sports Management

By
Siti Hajar
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Jessica Tan, one of Singapore’s most successful badminton players, has announced her retirement after a remarkable 14-year career. The 31-year-old mixed doubles specialist is now setting her sights on furthering her education in sports management.

Commonwealth Gold Medalist Turns to Education After Stellar Career

Tan’s impressive career includes 10 titles with her husband and mixed doubles partner Terry Hee, whom she married in 2021.

The duo made history by winning Singapore’s first Commonwealth Games mixed doubles gold medal in Birmingham in 2022, along with three victories on the Badminton World Federation World Tour.

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Once ranked as high as world No. 13, they became the first Singapore-born mixed doubles pair to qualify for the Olympics.

At Paris 2024, they won one match but were eliminated at the group stage, finishing third out of four teams in their group.

Tan also earned five women’s team bronze medals at the Southeast Asian Games during her career.

“I first joined the national team as a singles player and made the transition to doubles two years later,” Tan told The Straits Times.

“Mixed doubles play is quicker and the switch was tough as I had to change a lot of habits – from high and long serves to short serves, and getting used to shorter and faster strokes and swings,” she added.

The transition required significant adjustments to her game. “Playing against men, I also had to work on my power,” she explained.

Overcoming Adversity and Looking Forward to New Challenges

Tan’s journey was marked by numerous challenges.

She suffered multiple injuries requiring surgery, including a torn meniscus in her left knee in 2021. She also experienced a traffic accident, and her mother passed away in 2023, just two months before Olympic qualification began.

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“Throughout my career, I went through a lot of ups and downs,” Tan said. “These shaped how I see pressure, performance and purpose. I learnt how to keep going, even when things felt overwhelming, and Terry and I created multiple historic moments.”

After withdrawing from Nanyang Technological University’s sport science and management programme in 2011 to focus on badminton full-time, Tan is now looking forward to returning to academia.

She has applied to universities in the United Kingdom to pursue a degree in sports management.

Tan has also applied for the spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship “New Career” track, a government initiative announced in August 2024 that supports athletes’ academic pursuits after retiring from competitive sport.

While Hee will continue on tour with doubles partner Jin Yujia, Tan is working with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) to develop skills in pathway programme planning, business development and communications.

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She is also assisting doubles head coach Paulus Firman.

Following her retirement, Tan will receive the maximum payout of $100,000 from SBA’s post-career gratuity programme, established in 2023 to provide financial security to national players after retirement.

The payout, which ranges from $16,000 to $100,000, is based on an athlete’s highest world ranking and years representing Singapore. It will be disbursed in cash (63 per cent) and CPF top-up (37 per cent).

Paying tribute to his wife, Hee said: “Your work ethic and desire to excel are out of this world. You are truly an inspiration to many, including me, and I’m really proud of you.”

SBA president Lawrence Leow thanked Tan for her sacrifices and hard work, noting that the association is “firmly behind her in the next phase of her sporting career.”

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Doubles head coach Firman added: “Jessica has shown grit and determination in the face of adversity. I hope she will be an inspiration to young athletes who are considering badminton as a career.”

Tan expressed gratitude to SBA, national sports agency Sport Singapore, and all who contributed to her growth and success.

“This definitely isn’t goodbye, but it’s the next step forward in sports. I’m excited to take everything I’ve learnt over 14 years to help build stronger systems and support for the next generation,” she said.

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Siti Hajar