Rejection can bring out the best and worst in people. On a big stage, that rejection only gets amplified. And in the brightest of moments, rejection can put out dreams and ambitions in a swift fury.
For BYU tennis player Sue Yan Tan, rejection was only the beginning of her story. From a young age she had dreamed about representing her country of Singapore in tennis. So when the national team began inviting players to try out, Tan was excited.
However, the invitation never came.
Undeterred, Tan filed an appeal to try out at the national team trials, eventually getting her opportunity to try out for the national team. The lack of an invitation served as motivation for Tan, as she would go on to beat everyone she played at trials. Her play not only surprised the national team coaches, but also earned her a place on the team.
Since her entrance at the national trials, Tan hasn’t slowed down. She has played in many tournaments all across Southeast Asia, representing Singapore and honing in here skills at tournaments such as the 32nd Sea games in Cambodia.
”At first they didn’t even invite me," Tan said. "I had to appeal to play at the trials and then I beat everyone … Since then I’ve played in every tournament. It's such an accomplishment.”
For Tan, tennis has been a big part of her life. Her initial exposure came in preschool. Even at a young age, Tan was a competitive spirit. So, at the suggestion of her preschool teacher, Tan’s mother had her begin tennis. Like many others, Tan did not pick up tennis quickly. But after much practice and time, she began to enjoy tennis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ready for more tennis this week🎾 <a href="https://t.co/hWvxoQZuIF">pic.twitter.com/hWvxoQZuIF</a></p>— BYU Women's Tennis (@byuwtennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/byuwtennis/status/1889431239997923627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Now as a freshman at BYU, Tan is quickly leaving her mark. She is able to focus on tennis and hone her skills more as she works towards her ultimate goal of winning more tournaments and eventually playing at some majors such Wimbledon or the U.S. Open.
For Tan, moving so far across the world has been a process. In fact, coming to BYU for the first time was the first time she had even been in the United States. It was also the first time she has been separated from her family for such an extended period.
However, she has found support among her teammates and coaching staff in helping her adjust. From teammate driving her around, as well as respecting and supporting each other’s faiths, Tan has found a second family in Provo.
“[They] just show lots of love and support on and off the court, especially off the court," Tan said. "When I had my first panic attack at our first home match, [they] were there to comfort me and help … [They] do a lot of small things, it's like a second family.”
While Tan’s Tennis career is just beginning on the college level, her legacy is anything but new. Her hard work and determination are clear to anyone who watch her play, as well as the passion she carries for the game.
Tan said that there is a lot of work that goes into getting to the level that she is at and for those that want to get here, the work won’t be easy.
“Staying disciplined, working hard, and enjoying the process," she said. "Tennis can be really tough [and] if you don’t enjoy it, it won’t be fun.”