When Sue Yan Tan walked onto the court at the SEA Games in Bangkok, Thailand, she did what doctors once thought would be impossible in such a short time.
Just seven months after a shin stress fracture threatened her tennis career, Tan represented Singapore at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
With only a few weeks of full training before the December tournament, the BYU women’s tennis standout was determined to play for her country, finding strength through her family, friends and coaches during her recovery.
In December 2024, Tan injured her shin on the court. The injury initially went undiagnosed, and despite the pain, she continued to compete.
“It was kind of hurting, but I just kept playing because the season was really important,” Tan said. She mentioned the smaller roster size as another factor in her decision to push through.
However, when she returned to Southeast Asia in May 2025, X-rays and an MRI revealed a shin stress fracture, a tiny crack in the tibia caused by frequent running or jumping. Tan was incredibly disappointed.
“One of the doctors in Singapore told me that it may just be cracked forever,” she said. “I was so sad and so depressed during those few months.”
Tan was grateful for her family’s presence during that time.
“If I was here in America without my family and I got this news, I think I would start crashing out,” she added.
According to doctors, the injury would take between six to nine months to heal. Tan was confined to crutches and unable to put weight on her leg before eventually switching to a walking boot.
The setback forced Tan to make a significant decision: take time off from school in the United States to rehabilitate at home or return to BYU. Her coaches encouraged her to come back, believing in her ability to rebound quickly, and she ultimately followed their advice.
“I haven’t regretted my decision,” Tan said. “It’s been amazing, the support system that I have.”
Her teammates were also a source of strength for her as she navigated rehab.
“[They] wrote me so many messages and I was so grateful,” Tan said. “Those definitely helped me when I was facing my setbacks.”
Slowly on the mend, Tan found support in her team and their close bond.
“We do everything together,” she said. “We have team bonding activities outside of tennis. We study together. We do side quests together. Those are the activities that bring us closer as a team.”
As the SEA Games approached, Tan was even more motivated to heal. Because the Games only occur every other year, she didn’t want to let her country down.
“Playing for Singapore makes me feel like we can do a lot better than this, showing the other countries that we’re not weak,” she explained. She felt that despite being an underdog in the games, they could compete with the best.
Tan also wanted to meet and play on the same courts as other star tennis players. International tennis pros Janice Tjen and Alex Eala, both ranked inside the top 50 in the world in singles at the time, also competed in the Games.
After resuming full practices in November 2025, Tan was ready to compete in Thailand. She won her round-of-16 matches in both singles and doubles before falling in singles to Thailand’s Thasasporn Naklo, 6-1, 6-3.
In the doubles quarterfinals, Tan and her teammate Eva Marie Cheng Si Desvignes lost the first set, 1-6, but bounced back to take the second, 6-4, against Tjen and her teammate Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia. Singapore narrowly lost the match tiebreak, 10-6. Despite feeling a bit rusty, Tan expressed satisfaction with her overall performance.
“I didn’t play my best, but it was just nice to be out there and keep fighting,” she said.
Overall, Singapore placed fifth out of 11 teams in the SEA Games. Contributing to the team was incredibly special for Tan, and her journey battling an injury taught her a valuable lesson.
“I’ve learned to never give up, keep pushing and stay disciplined,” she said. “That has made me stay focused on my path.”
For Tan, the SEA Games were a crowning moment on her road to recovery. If this comeback has shown her anything, it’s that setbacks aren’t just limits, they’re opportunities.