Janice Tjen’s improbable path to WTA stardom

In the balmy Chennai evening, Janice Tjen gripped her racket tightly, the court’s lights casting long shadows as she prepared for the final point. A year earlier, her WTA ranking hovered in the 500s, her name familiar only in college tennis circles. Now, at 23, the Indonesian sealed her first tour singles victory, the ball rocketing down-the-line off her forehand to etch her breakthrough into history. Hours later, she added a second WTA doubles title in as many weeks, her exhausted grin reflecting a rise few could have predicted.

Heartbreak in Sao Paulo sharpens resolve

The road to Chennai twisted through Sao Paulo’s hard courts in September, where Tjen reached her first WTA final only to stumble against Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah. That defeat stung deeply, a narrow loss in straight sets that exposed vulnerabilities in her serving patterns under pressure. She absorbed the pain, reviewing footage of those crosscourt exchanges and inside-out attempts, transforming frustration into fuel for the weeks ahead. By the time Chennai arrived, her game had evolved—deeper returns forcing errors, slices on second serves buying time against aggressive returns.

This victory marked her as the first Indonesian to claim a WTA singles title since Angelique Widjaja in 2002, her new No. 53 ranking the second-best for any player from her country, behind only Yayuk Basuki’s peak at No. 19. The milestone rippled through the crowd, their cheers amplifying the weight of 23 years without such glory. Tjen’s junior career had topped out at No. 93, and her college stints at Oregon and Pepperdine built endurance without the spotlight, yet here she stood, a symbol of quiet persistence paying off.

The first Indonesian player to win a WTA Tour singles title since Angelique Widjaja in 2002 🇮🇩

Janice Tjen 👏#ChennaiOpen pic.twitter.com/99c8ij8Skz

— wta (@WTA) November 2, 2025

Coach connection unlocks steady progress

Tjen’s surge owes much to her partnership with coach Christopher Bint, forged at the end of last year during his role with Tennis New Zealand. Their trial in April and May led to a full-time commitment, built on shared values and a focus on holistic growth rather than weekly rankings checks. Bint helped refine her one–two combinations, emphasizing underspin backhands to counter flat hitters on hard courts like Chennai’s, where the ball’s skid demanded quick footwork and precise depth. This bond steadied her through the tour’s demands, from surface shifts to the isolation of constant travel.

Financial barriers from her humble Indonesian roots had shaped her path, the sport’s costs—coaches, flights, entries—pushing her toward the U.S. college system as a viable route. An admirer of Ash Barty’s tactical poise, Tjen credits that detour for honing her baseline grit against American aggression, preparing her for pro-level rallies that stretch beyond 10 shots. With Bint, she ignored the numbers, vowing to assess progress only after a year, allowing her to prioritize improvements like sharper inside-in forehands that exploited openings in the Chennai draw.

Work ethic inspires enduring belief

No hidden formulas drove this ascent, Tjen insists; it’s the grind of weekly refinements, learning from wins and losses alike, that propelled her forward. Her Chennai final showcased this mindset—patient crosscourt probing building to aggressive net rushes, the humid air thick with tension as she outlasted her opponent in the decider. The WTA’s celebration on #ChennaiOpen captured the moment’s significance, the image of her triumph a beacon for Indonesian tennis. As she reflects on the unexpected leap, her focus remains on process, shielding her from the pressure of soaring expectations.

Tennis’s rigors tested her resolve, from clay’s slide to hard courts’ pace, but triumphs like back-to-back titles in Chennai built confidence for majors ahead. For young players facing similar odds, she shares a message rooted in her journey: persist through the costs and doubts, as the college path did for her, opening doors to the highest levels. “I don’t think there is any secret,” she explained post-victory. “I think it’s just about putting in the work, trying to improve every aspect of my game, week in and week out. Also trying to learn from the previous losses and from the matches that I win as well.”

From family sacrifices funding early lessons to this global stage, Tjen’s story bridges personal struggle and national hope. The Chennai glow lingers as she eyes indoor hard courts next, her slice variations and return depth poised to challenge top seeds. In a tour defined by margins, her grounded drive promises more breakthroughs, one resilient point at a time.