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 | |
|---|---|
 Tan at the 2023 Singapore Open | |
| Personal information | |
| Birth name | Jessica Tan Wei Han |
| Country | Singapore |
| Born | 16 July 1993 Singapore |
| Residence | Singapore |
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 52 kg (115 lb) |
| Handedness | Right |
| Women's & mixed doubles | |
| Highest ranking | 93 (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 ranking | 17 (XD with Terry Hee 13 August 2024) |
Medal record | |
| BWF profile | |
Early life
editTan 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
edit2014–2021: SEA Games bronzes, national title
edit
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
editIn 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]
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
editTan 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
editTan 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
editCommonwealth Games
editMixed 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)
editThe 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)
editMixed 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
edit- ^ "Players: Wei Han Tan". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Tan Wei Han tipped for the top at Cheers badminton championships". Red Sports. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Team Singapore: Tan Wei Han". Singapore Sports Council. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ^ "Participants: Wei Han Tan". Gold Coast 2018. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Singapore National Open Championships 2019". Singapore Badminton Association.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
