Jessica Tan (badminton)

Jessica Tan Wei Han (simplified Chinese: 陈薇涵; traditional Chinese: 陳薇涵; born 16 July 1993) is a Singaporean badminton player.[1] Together with Terry Hee, they won their first BWF World Tour title as a duo at the 2022 India Open.[2] Tan along with Hee also won the gold medal in the mixed doubles event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, a first for Singapore in that discipline at the Games. Jessica Tan and her husband Terry Hee were nominated for the Straits Times Singaporean of the Year Award 2022.[3] Terry Hee and Jessica Tan are Singapore's first local-born mixed doubles duo to qualify for the Olympics, and will make their debut at the Paris Olympics 2024.[4]

Jessica Tan Wei Han
陳薇涵
Personal information
Birth nameJessica Tan Wei Han
CountrySingapore
Born (1993-07-16) 16 July 1993 (age 31)
Singapore
ResidenceSingapore
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight52 kg (115 lb)
HandednessRight
Women's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking93 (WD with Dellis Yuliana 4 December 2014)
40 (XD with Danny Bawa Chrisnanta 3 September 2019)
13 (XD with Terry Hee 3 January 2023)
Current ranking17 (XD with Terry Hee 13 August 2024)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Singapore
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham Mixed team
SEA Games
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Singapore Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Kuala Lumpur Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Philippines Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Vietnam Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Cambodia Women's team
BWF profile

Early life

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Tan was born on 16 July 1993 in Singapore, to parents Richard and Joyce. She has two elder sisters who were former national team players. Growing up in a badminton-crazy family, Tan picked up the sport at the tender age of seven after watching her sisters play.[5] With the intention to compete full time, she withdrew from her placing at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and joined the national team at the age of 18 to pursue her badminton dream.[6]

Career

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2014–2021: SEA Games bronzes, national title

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Hee and Tan with other Singapore Olympians during an open-top bus parade in 2024

Tan won her first senior title at the 2014 Singapore International tournament in the mixed doubles event partnered with Terry Hee. Tan was part of the national team that won the women's team bronze medals at the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 SEA Games.[7] In April of 2017, Tan reached a career-high ranking of 15 with Hee. She competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.[8] Tan then split up with Hee, as he had to undergo his mandatory 2-year national service in 2019.[9] Tan then won the mixed doubles national championships with her partner, Danny Bawa Chrisnanta.[10]

2022: First World Tour Super 500 title, Commonwealth Games success

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In January, Tan won her first Super 500 title with Hee, at the India Open, defeating the Malaysian pairing of Chen Tang Jie and Peck Yen Wei in the final, 21–15, 21–18 in straight games.[2] In March, Tan won her second BWF World Tour title with Hee, the Orléans Masters, defeating Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Lisa Ayu Kusumawati in the final, 21–12, 16–21, 21–13 in rubber games, winning their third title as a married couple.[11]

 
Hee and Tan after winning the mixed doubles final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in August, Tan was part of the Singaporean team who won the bronze medal in the mixed team events as the Singaporean team defeated England 3–0 at the bronze medal playoff.[12][13] Tan had also competed at the individual mixed doubles event with her husband Hee. Their opponents in the final were England's Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith, who were playing on home soil and were ranked higher than them. Tan and Hee defeated them in two straight sets, 21–16, 21–15, winning a historic gold medal and Singapore's first Commonwealth Games badminton mixed doubles gold.[14]

Personal life

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Tan has been married to fellow Singaporean shuttler Terry Hee since 2021, who she had often partnered with at mixed doubles tournaments since the start of her professional career.[15] Their victory at the 2021 Czech Open, defeating Russians Lev Barinov and Anastasiia Boiarun, was their first tournament as a married duo.[15] They were made HSBC Life Singapore's first brand ambassadors in 2023. In 2024, Singlife committed to a sponsorship deal with the couple upon their Olympic qualification.[16]

Awards and nominations

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Tan and Terry Hee were nominated for the 2022 ST Athlete of the Year Award.[17] They were also conferred the Team of the Year (Event) award in the Singapore Sports Awards 2023 by the Singapore National Olympic Council.[18]

Achievements

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Commonwealth Games

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Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2022 National Exhibition Centre,
Birmingham, England
  Terry Hee   Marcus Ellis
  Lauren Smith
21–16, 21–15   Gold

BWF World Tour (3 titles, 2 runners-up)

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The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[19] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tours are divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.[20]

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result
2022 India Open Super 500   Terry Hee   Chen Tang Jie
  Peck Yen Wei
21–15, 21–18   Winner
2022 Orléans Masters Super 100   Terry Hee   Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto
  Lisa Ayu Kusumawati
21–12, 16–21, 21–13   Winner
2023 Abu Dhabi Masters Super 100   Terry Hee   Mads Vestergaard
  Christine Busch
22–20, 17–21, 18–21   Runner-up
2023 Guwahati Masters Super 100   Terry Hee   Mads Vestergaard
  Christine Busch
21–19, 21–11   Winner
2023 Odisha Masters Super 100   Terry Hee   Dhruv Kapila
  Tanisha Crasto
21–17, 19–21, 21–23   Runner-up

BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles, 2 runners-up)

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Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2014 Singapore International   Terry Hee   Loh Kean Hean
  Dellis Yuliana
21–19, 19–21, 21–14   Winner
2014 Malaysia International   Terry Hee   Hafiz Faizal
  Shella Devi Aulia
21–19, 19–21, 18–21   Runner-up
2015 Bangladesh International   Terry Hee   Tan Wee Gieen
  Shevon Jemie Lai
21–10, 19–21, 21–12   Winner
2016 Smiling Fish International   Terry Hee   Wong Fai Yin
  Shevon Jemie Lai
21–16, 21–17   Winner
2016 Hungarian International   Terry Hee   Paweł Pietryja
  Aneta Wojtkowska
11–6, 11–7, 13–11   Winner
2018 Turkey International   Danny Bawa Chrisnanta   Leo Rolly Carnando
  Indah Cahya Sari Jamil
21–19, 16–21, 21–12   Winner
2019 Estonian International   Danny Bawa Chrisnanta   Gregory Mairs
  Victoria Williams
21–18, 14–21, 21–15   Winner
2019 Swedish Open   Danny Bawa Chrisnanta   Mikkel Mikkelsen
  Mai Surrow
21–14, 21–16   Winner
2019 Austrian Open   Danny Bawa Chrisnanta   Robin Tabeling
  Selena Piek
21–19, 16–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2021 Czech Open   Terry Hee   Lev Barinov
  Anastasiia Boiarun
21–18, 21–12   Winner
2023 Irish Open   Terry Hee   Gregory Mairs
  Jenny Mairs
21–17, 18–21, 21–15   Winner
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament

References

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  1. ^ "Players: Wei Han Tan". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b Lee, David (16 January 2022). "Badminton: S'pore's Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han upset odds to win India Open title". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  3. ^ "ST Singaporean of the Year nominee: Hee and Tan sacrifice and soar as married mixed doubles duo". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2023-12-27. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  4. ^ "Singapore's badminton mixed doubles pair Terry Hee and Jessica Tan get their spot in Paris Olympics". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  5. ^ "Tan Wei Han tipped for the top at Cheers badminton championships". Red Sports. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  6. ^ "TeamSG Shuttlers Terry Hee & Tan Wei Han : Their ongoing journey to the Top!". ActiveSG. 26 April 2022. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Team Singapore: Tan Wei Han". Singapore Sports Council. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Participants: Wei Han Tan". Gold Coast 2018. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  9. ^ Tan, Ashley; Zi, Shan Kow (16 January 2022). "Badminton: S'porean husband & wife duo Terry Hee & Tan Wei Han crowned champions in India Open". Mothership. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Singapore National Open Championships 2019". Singapore Badminton Association.
  11. ^ Lee, David (3 April 2022). "Badminton: Terry Hee, Tan Wei Han win Orleans Masters mixed doubles final, 3rd title in 6 months". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  12. ^ Kwek, Kimberly (2 August 2022). "Commonwealth Games: Singapore clinch bronze in badminton mixed team event". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  13. ^ "England lose in badminton mixed team bronze match". BBC Sport. 2 August 2022. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Terry Hee and Jessica Tan win Singapore's first Commonwealth Games badminton mixed doubles gold". CNA. 8 August 2022. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  15. ^ a b Lee, David (24 October 2021). "Badminton: Doubles joy for newlyweds Terry Hee, Tan Wei Han at Czech Open". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Olympic-bound Terry Hee and Jessica Tan well-served by sponsorship deal with Singlife". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  17. ^ "ST Athlete of the Year nominee: Jessica Tan and Terry Hee's letter to their younger selves". 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Feng Tianwei, Sheik Farhan win sportswoman and sportsman of the year awards for 2023". 24 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  19. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  20. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
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