After achieving everything she set out to accomplish on the badminton court, Singapore's mixed doubles player Jessica Tan is wrapping up her 14-year career to pursue further education.
One of the nation's most successful players, the 31-year-old won 10 titles with Terry Hee, whom she married in 2021. Their achievements include a historic 2022 Commonwealth Games mixed doubles gold in Birmingham and three triumphs on the Badminton World Federation World Tour.
Once ranked as high as world No. 13, they became the first Singapore-born mixed doubles pair to qualify for the Olympics, and in Paris 2024 they won one match but were eliminated at the group stage.
Tan also has five women's team bronzes at the SEA Games.
She told The Straits Times: "I first joined the national team as a singles player and made the transition to doubles two years later.
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"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.
"Playing against men, I also had to work on my power.
"Throughout my career, I went through a lot of ups and downs. I had a traffic accident, multiple sports injuries that required surgery, and my mother passed away in 2023 two months before the Olympic qualification began. Those were incredibly difficult periods.
"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.
"Now, I feel ready to say yes to new challenges and give back to the sport that has given me so much."
After withdrawing from the Nanyang Technological University's sport science and management programme in 2011 to pursue her badminton dream full-time, she is looking forward to returning to school.
Hee will stay on tour with doubles partner Jin Yujia.
Tan has applied to universities in the United Kingdom to pursue a degree in sport management. She has also applied for the spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship "New Career" track, a government initiative announced in August 2024 which supports athletes' academic pursuits after they retire from competitive sport.
Meanwhile, she is working at the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) to hone her skills in pathway programme planning, business development and communications, while also assisting doubles head coach Paulus Firman.
Tan hopes to play a role in shaping the future of Singapore sport, particularly in athlete development and leadership.
She said: "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.
"Sport has taught me how to rise to challenges, and I want to bring that mindset into building a system where athletes can also thrive beyond their playing careers. That's something I really believe in."
Though she has not had the urge to pick up her racket again, Tan admits she is slowly getting used to breaking from her usual routine of training and competing.
She said: "When I was planning to stop playing, I would always cry and get extremely emotional because I couldn't bear to let go. But we have sacrificed a lot over the years and I'm thankful to now have the space and opportunity to explore who I am beyond the court."
While she was "very grateful to have had this super rare and precious journey with Terry", she candidly shared that the duo - who have been hailed as Singapore badminton's golden couple - found it hard to navigate the differences they had on court.
She said: "Conflicts are inevitable in any doubles pairing, but we are professional athletes who know clearly what we want for our career. We made many sacrifices and may have even subconsciously put our marriage in the back seat to pursue our dream.
"I am thankful that our faith helped carry us through difficult moments, and that God has kept and protected our relationship."
Paying tribute to his wife and doubles partner, Hee thanked her for "fighting alongside me for many years".
The 29-year-old added: "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."
Firman added: "It's a delight seeing Jessica and Terry grow and mature over the past few years. The path to the Olympics certainly was not easy, and Jessica has 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."
Thanking Tan for her sacrifices and hard work, SBA president Lawrence Leow said that the association is "firmly behind her in the next phase of her sporting career".
Following her retirement, Tan will become the first player to receive the maximum payout of $100,000 from SBA's post-career gratuity programme, which was established in 2023 to provide financial security to national players post-retirement.
The payout, which ranges from $16,000 to $100,000, will be disbursed in cash (63 per cent) and CPF top-up (37 per cent). It is pegged to an athlete's highest world ranking and the length of time he or she represented Singapore.
Expressing her gratitude to the SBA, national sports agency Sport Singapore and those who have contributed to her growth and success, Tan said: "I am really thankful for the meaningful recognition.
"I hope this will encourage the next generation to dream big, work hard and persevere, and one day achieve even greater things than Terry and I did."
