With new career-high world rank, Singapore's Jason Teh keeps patient in search of first major badminton title

SINGAPORE: Wrapped around Jason Teh's left forearm is a tattoo he got three years ago reminding him of something close to his heart.

In cursive black font and with a shuttlecock at the base, it reads "Family".

And if not for family, 24-year-old Teh might not be where he is today – at a career-high 37th in the world and in regular contention for his first major singles title.

Having started the year 61st in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) men's singles rankings, Teh has made two semi-finals and reached four finals this year, propelling him up the standings.

He is the second-highest ranked men's singles player in Singapore, behind compatriot Loh Kean Yew who is 14th.

A FATHER'S SACRIFICE 

Born in Penang, Teh got into the sport at the age of four when he accompanied his father, who played recreationally, to the neighbourhood courts.

"I was very active when I was young," Teh told CNA. "I couldn't sit still and that's why I liked going for badminton because that could burn my energy."

A few years later, Teh’s family moved to Johor Bahru to make it easier for his father, who was working in the F&B industry in Singapore, to commute to work.

Teh was studying in Montfort Junior School and this meant the pair had to get up in the wee hours of the morning to beat the traffic jams crossing the Causeway.

They usually arrived before the school gates opened, and Teh slept in the car until it was time for morning assembly. Eventually, his two sisters joined him on these trips when they too enrolled in Singapore schools.

When school was done for the day, Teh's father was waiting outside to shuttle him back to Johor Bahru for afternoon badminton training sessions.

"He supported us a lot and really gave everything," said Teh, who went on to study at Bowen Secondary School and then Singapore Sports School. 

It was this same support which was pivotal when Teh decided to stop school after Secondary 4 to focus on a full-time badminton career.

The option to further his studies by taking up a polytechnic course was on the table, but Teh felt that given his sports schedule, juggling school would have taken away far too much time.

Teh recalled how almost everyone tried to dissuade him, and he could not have made the decision if not for his father's support.

"I didn't dare to do it (at first)," Teh said. "He was so much more mature than me ... and he guided me."

Rather than being "half-half" on his budding sporting career, he decided to go all in.

"(My dad) said: 'If in life you want to fight, you should just straight away go (and do it). If you're scared of this and scared of that, you cannot succeed in one aspect.

"I'll never regret (that decision)."

Teh served his National Service immediately after leaving school. His father eventually bought a home in Singapore where the family settled down in 2017 before Teh became a citizen two years later.

"It was good to enlist early so that I could start my career without anything (holding me back)," he explained. "That was when the pandemic hit and there were no tournaments for everybody, so I only lost out on being able to train."

LEARNING PATIENCE

It has taken much self-discovery to get Teh to where he is today.

He was once a player who got angry when things didn't go his way on court and found it difficult to accept losing. On some occasions, he took his frustration out on racquets during training.

"I couldn't control my emotions well enough," he said. "I couldn't take things step by step and always wanted to get that breakthrough (as fast as possible)."

Desperate to rise up the rankings and qualify for the Paris Olympics, held earlier this year, Teh competed in tournament after tournament.

"I always thought that if I did my best ... I can keep going up (the rankings) and so I kept pushing and pushing. But I didn't have enough experience," he said.

"Now, looking back, no matter how I tried, I wouldn't have been able to make it to Paris because I still hadn't gone through a lot of things."

Eventually Teh learnt to be calmer and be patient with the process.

"Losing games helped me a lot because I tried to learn from all those games and tried to improve myself."

And he has benefitted from this lived experience, Teh added.

"Everybody has a different process. Some can understand after one, two times ... Others need more time," he said. "I just followed my own rhythm and trusted that I can make it there."

SEARCHING FOR A TITLE

Teh's long-term goal remains the same – to qualify for the Olympics, with Los Angeles 2028 in his sights.

But a more immediate target is to crack the world's top 32, and in doing so, be eligible to compete in higher-tier tournaments.

Teh has been more consistent this year – he has made two semi-finals (the Vietnam Open and US Open) and four finals (the Macau Open, Polish Open and Luxembourg Open and the BAM Malaysia Super 100).

But winning that first major title has proved elusive, as he tasted defeat in six finals appearances.

"(In the past), I would stress over when would be the next time for me to win a title," Teh said.

"Now I don't care about this anymore and just want to go match by match. I will give my all in every match, and I trust that results will come."

While it doesn't mean that he is immune from nerves, Teh said he is learning how to deal with these high-stakes situations and getting better at it.

"The biggest difference between me now and in the past, now I see everything with a calmness," said Teh. "I am trying to learn and trying to be consistent in this aspect."

On the inside of Teh's left arm is another tattoo – one which he got at the end of 2022.

After a losing streak spanning a number of tournaments, he decided that to start the new year afresh, it was time to get inked again.

This was a reminder to keep the faith, and it is relevant both then and now.

It says: "Believe".