Tan Aik Huang

Datuk Tan Aik Huang (, born 14 February 1946) is a Malaysian retired badminton player noted for his footwork and patience.

Tan was born on 14 February 1946, in Singapore, but grew up in Penang.

He is the son of Tan Cheng Hoe, who formerly held the position of vice-president in the Penang Badminton Association.

He had a younger brother named Aik Mong, who was also a national badminton player.

Tan received his primary education at Pykett Methodist School and later attended Methodist High School.

His interest in badminton began in 1957, when he was 11 years old and started training under the guidance of Penang's veteran player Lee Peng Joo.

A year later, in 1958, his father took him to watch the Malayan Open held in Penang.

There, he was so inspired by the high level of play by the top foreign players that he decided to pursue badminton more seriously.

Tan's talent began to shine through as he won the boys' under 14 singles and doubles titles in the Penang Combined School Championships.

He also won numerous major international singles titles during the mid- and late 1960s including the Danish Open, the US Open, the Canadian Open, the Malaysian Open and the Singapore Open.

Additionally, Tan holds the distinction of being the first Malaysian shuttler in the Commonwealth Games to win gold medals in two individual events.

He is the elder brother of Tan Aik Mong.

By 1961, he had already become the champion in the boys' under 19 category and took part in the first Asian Badminton Confederation Championships where he was the runner-up in the schoolboys doubles event.

Tan continued to impress at the junior level, winning the 1962 Penang boys' singles and doubles titles and eventually gaining promotion to senior status.

Tan's first foray into the senior tournament was at the 1962 Perak Open, where he made it to the semi-finals of the men's singles event but lost to Tan Yee Khan in a closely contested match that lasted three games.

His first success came at the Penang Open, where he upset Thomas Cup player Ng Boon Bee in the singles final.

At just 16 years old, he became the youngest winner of the tournament.

He also won the first three edition of the Malaysian Schools Open's singles titles from 1963 to 1965.

At the 1963 Penang Open, Tan, who was the defending champion, lost in the men's singles final to Yew Cheng Hoe by a score of 6–15, 4–15.

In the Malayan Open that followed, he faced Yew Cheng Hoe once again and was defeated in the semi-finals in straight games.

In 1964, Tan competed at his first Singapore Open and was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Johor's Billy Ng in a hard-fought three-set match.

The following week, he clinched his second senior title by defeating Teh Kew San in the final of the Malacca Open.

He reached two more finals at the Selangor and Perak Opens but lost to Yew Cheng Hoe in rubber games on both occasions.

However, at the Penang Open, Tan finally got his revenge by defeating Yew Cheng Hoe, the defending champion, in the singles final in straight games.

In May, at the World Invitation Tournament held in Tokyo, Japan, he put on a great showing, reaching the final in the men's singles but unfortunately lost to his fellow Thomas Cup teammate, Tan Yee Khan.

In 1965, at the first Malaysia Open (after the formation of the federation), Tan reached the men's singles final but was upset by the unseeded Billy Ng.

In March, he was the runner-up to Erland Kops in both the World Invitation Tournament held in Glasgow, Scotland and in the All England Open.

In August, at the second Malaysia Open, he became the youngest champion at 19 years old by beating arch-rival Yew Cheng Hoe in the men's singles final.

This victory improved Tan's head to head record against Yew to 3–4.

In October, he successfully defended his Penang Open title by defeating Khor Cheng Chye in the final to win his third title.

In December, at the Southeast Asian Games, Tan won the gold medal in the men's singles event.

He defeated Thailand's Sangob Rattanusorn in the final, winning in three games with a score of 15–7, 7–15, 15–7 in a match that lasted an hour.

This was Tan's first major games, and he lived up to expectations by delivering a gold medal performance.

He was a former All England Open champion, having won the men's singles title in 1966.

In 1966, Tan kicked off his Europe tour by defeating Singapore's Lee Kin Tat in a hard-fought three-set match at the Surrey Open.

At the Denmark Open, he suffered a defeat in the men's singles quarter-finals to Knud Aage Nielsen, a former All England champion.

However, he did reach the men's doubles final with Yew Cheng Hoe, but they lost to the top-seeded Malaysian pair of Ng Boon Bee and Tan Yee Khan.

At the Swedish Badminton Championships, Tan had a significant win over Erland Kops, the World No. 1, en route to winning the men's singles title.

He then defeated Kurt Johansson in the final to clinch the championship.

Tan was a member of four Malaysian Thomas Cup (men's international) teams including its world champion team of 1967.