Janice Tjen Reaches WTA 250 Chennai Final

CHENNAI, SATURDAY - Indonesian female tennis player Janice Tjen achieved an impressive feat by reaching the final of the WTA 250 women's singles event in Chennai, at the SDAT Tennis Stadium, Chennai, India, on Saturday (1/11/2025). In the semifinal round, Janice defeated Thai player Lanlana Tararudee with a score of 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) in a match that lasted two hours and 10 minutes.

Reaching the final this time is a second opportunity for Janice to win a tournament of WTA 250 caliber. Previously, Janice had reached the final of the WTA 250 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from September 8 to 14, but failed to become the champion after being defeated by Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah (Thailand).

In this semifinal match, Janice faced very tough resistance from Tararudee. Tararudee often took the initiative with powerful forehands, forcing Janice to play frequently from the baseline.

The race for points was tightly contested from the beginning of the match. The narrow point difference meant that no player could gain a two-game lead in the first set.

Janice forced a 6-6 draw, forcing a tiebreak. Despite trailing 5-6 in the tiebreak, Janice rallied and ultimately won the first set.

A tight battle occurred again in the second set. Tararudee, wanting to avenge the loss in the first set, took the initiative to attack once more. However, Janice demonstrated her mental resilience and did not allow Tararudee to lead by more than one game.

The second set ended 6-6 again, forcing a second tiebreak. This time, Janice took the lead, 6-4.

Tararudee pressed forward to the net to narrow the gap to 6-5. However, Janice was able to capitalize on the error of the Thai player to conclude the match with a victory.

"This is an extraordinary match. Lanlana played brilliantly. I fought hard to win today. We know each other's game well because we often meet during junior competitions," said Janice.

Janice admitted that she was solely focused on chasing points, one by one. She did not allow herself to feel burdened when falling behind in points against Tararudee.

"This match was quite wild for me. I just focused on my game and chased point after point. It is very enjoyable to win and advance to the final," said Janice, when interviewed about the secret to her victory by a television presenter after the match.

After that match, Janice will team up with another Indonesian tennis player, Aldila Sutjiadi, to compete in the women's doubles semifinal against the Indian duo, Riya Bhatia/Rutuja Bhosale. Two matches in one night will exhaust Janice's energy before facing the women's singles final.

"I have not thought about the final tomorrow (Sunday). I just want to finish the women's doubles match with a good result. I will think about the final tomorrow," said Janice.