Singapore badminton player Jessica Tan retires at 31 to pursue university degree

SINGAPORE: After more than a decade in competitive badminton, one of Singapore’s most decorated players Jessica Tan announced her retirement on Friday (Apr 11), citing injuries and the decision to pursue her studies in sports management. 

“After dedicating so many years of my life to the sport of badminton, there is an inevitably bittersweet feeling stepping away from these exhilarating competitions,” said Tan, 31. 

“But one never really retires from badminton; it will always be a part of my life. I’m excited about going back to school again, and I’m grateful to the Singapore Badminton Association, Sport Singapore and sponsors for their generous support throughout my career,” she added. 

Tan joined the national team at 18. She most notably competed with her husband and mixed doubles partner Terry Hee.

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In 2022, the couple won Singapore’s first gold medal in the mixed doubles event at the Commonwealth Games.

They went on to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished third out of four teams in their group. Tan also has five Southeast Asian Games bronze medals.

During her career, Tan suffered multiple injuries, including a torn meniscus in her left knee in 2021 that required surgery.

STUDIES NEXT

Tan will receive the highest payout of S$100,000 (US$75,000) from the Singapore Badminton Association’s (SBA) post-career gratuity programme.

Established in 2023, the programme aims to provide athletes with financial security after retirement. The payout ranges from S$16,000 to S$100,000, depending on the athlete's highest world ranking and the amount of time that they represented Singapore. 

Tan has her sights set on sports management undergraduate programmes in the United Kingdom. In 2011, she withdrew from the sports science and management undergraduate programme at Nanyang Technological University to focus on competing full time.

She has since applied for the Sports Excellence (spexEducation) Undergraduate Scholarship, an initiative announced in August 2024 to support national athletes in their academic pursuits.

The scholarship has two tracks: A “dual track” for active athletes and a “new career” track for retired athletes. 

Upon her retirement and before starting her studies, she will work with SBA in programme planning, business development and communications. She will also assist doubles head coach Paulus Firman.

In a tribute to his wife, Hee thanked Tan for fighting alongside him. “Your work ethic and the desire to excel is really out of this world,” he said. 

President of SBA Lawrence Leow said the couple has “done Singapore proud”. 

"Jessica had to overcome significant personal adversity to qualify for the Olympics, and SBA would like to thank Jessica for her sacrifices and hard work for over a decade," he added.

Mr Firman said that Tan had shown grit and determination in the face of adversity. "I hope she will be an inspiration to the young athletes who are considering badminton as a career," he added.