Tan Joe Hok

Tan Joe Hok (Indonesian name: Hendra Kartanegara, ; 11 August 1937 – 2 June 2025) was an Indonesian badminton player, who along with Ferry Sonneville and a cadre of fine doubles players set the foundation for an Indonesian badminton dynasty by dethroning then-perennial Thomas Cup champion Malaya in 1958.

Tan Joe Hok lived in Bandung until he finished high school. He received his degree in Chemistry and Biology from Baylor University, Texas, United States.

He was the first Indonesian to win the All England Open in 1959 and the first Indonesian to win a gold medal in Asian Games, which happened at home in 1962. He won both the U.S. Open and Canadian Open singles titles consecutively in 1959 and 1960. He had many other notable achievements in the badminton field, both as a player and a coach, most particularly, winning all but one of his singles matches for Indonesia's world champion Thomas Cup (men's international) teams of 1958, 1961, and 1964.

Background Tan was born on 11 August 1937 in Bandung. From 1959 to 1963, he studied Premed in Chemistry & Biology at Baylor University in the U.S. state of Texas.

He married former badminton player Goei Kiok Nio in 1965 and they have two children. Tan Joe Hok had a difficulty establishing full citizenship in Indonesia because he could not obtain an SBKRI, a mandatory document for non-indigenous and especially Chinese-Indonesian during the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Suharto. He said, "It wouldn't be hard for us to move overseas but we don't want to do that because we are Indonesians. Even if it was raining gold overseas, we will remain here, in the land where Indonesian blood has been spilled."

Tan died after suffering stroke in Jakarta, on 2 June 2025, at the age of 87.

Career and achievements Won the National Championships at Surabaya (1956) Member of Squad Indonesian Team that won the Thomas Cup at Singapore (1958) First Indonesian badminton men's player to win All England (1959) First Indonesian badminton men's player to win Asian Games gold medal (1962) Member of Squad Team Thomas Cup Indonesia (1964–1967) Badminton coach at Mexico (1969–1970) Badminton coach at Hong Kong (1971) Coach of Indonesia Thomas Cup Team at Kuala Lumpur (1984) Badminton coach at PB Djarum Kudus Mandala Pest Control Director (since 1973) Best Sport Coach by SIWO/PWI Jaya version (1984)

Asian Games Men's singles

Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1962 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Liem Tjeng Kiang Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan 13–15, 17–18 Silver Silver

International tournaments (10 titles, 7 runners-up) Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1957 India Championships Amrit Dewan 15–2, 15–7 Winner 1958 East India Championships Eddy Yusuf 15–10, 15–9 Winner 1959 All England Open Ferry Sonneville 15–8, 10–15, 15–3 Winner 1959 Thailand Championships Charoen Wattanasin 15–10, 9–15, 15–6 Winner 1959 Canadian Open Charoen Wattanasin 15–4, 15–10 Winner 1959 U.S. Open Charoen Wattanasin 7–15, 15–5, 18–14 Winner 1960 Canadian Open Finn Kobberø 10–15, 15–8, 15–13 Winner 1960 U.S. Open Charoen Wattanasin 15–6, 15–8 Winner 1962 U.S. Open Ferry Sonneville 15–17, 17–18 Runner-up 1962 Mexican Open Erland Kops 8–15, 9–15 Runner-up

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1960 Canadian Open Charoen Wattanasin Lim Say Hup Teh Kew San 8–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1962 U.S. Open Ferry Sonneville Joe Alston Wynn Rogers 12–15, 13–15 Runner-up 1962 Mexican Open Erland Kops Berndt Dahlberg Ferry Sonneville 15–7, 14–17, 15–4 Winner 1963 All England Open Ferry Sonneville Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Finn Kobberø 6–15, 5–15 Runner-up 1969 Canadian Open Charoen Wattanasin Tony Jordan Robert McCoig 7–15, 6–15 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1960 Canadian Open Sushila Kapadia Finn Kobberø Jean Miller 7–15, 7–15 Runner-up 1967 Malaysia Open Retno Kustijah Darmadi Minarni 15–9, 15–8 Winner