Janice Tjen Marks Progress Despite Exit in Dubai Championship

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian tennis player Janice Tjen’s spirited campaign at the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships came to an end in the third round, where she fell to second seed Amanda Anisimova on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

Despite the loss, however, her run to the round of 16 signals steady progress on the tour.

Facing the Wimbledon 2025 runner-up, Janice Tjen struggled to find her rhythm early, dropping the first set 1-6. She mounted a stronger challenge in the second, but Anisimova’s consistency proved decisive as the American closed out the match 6-3 in one hour and 10 minutes.

“I had never played against Janice before. She’s been performing really well this season, so I’m happy to get through this,” Anisimova said afterward, as quoted by Antara.

The opening set showcased Anisimova’s dominance. She fired one ace, won 87.5 percent of her first-serve points (14/16), and captured 70 percent of points on Janice Tjen’s second serve. The 24-year-old American cruised through the set with commanding returns and powerful serves.

Janice Tjen, 23, responded in the second set with more resilience, landing 53.3 percent of her first serves (16/30). She broke Anisimova’s serve to narrow the gap to 3-5, but a costly double fault in the ninth game allowed her opponent to seal the victory. On match point, Anisimova’s return forced an error that ended Janice Tjen’s run.

Anisimova now advances to the quarterfinals, awaiting the winner between fifth seed Mirra Andreeva and Jaqueline Cristian.

For Janice Tjen, reaching the round of 16 in Dubai marks an improvement from her previous outing at the Qatar Open, where she exited in the round of 32 against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek (0-6, 6-3).

Her doubles campaign in Dubai also ended in the round of 16, alongside Czech partner Marie Bouzkova, against fifth seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani.

While the Dubai journey concludes, Janice Tjen’s performance underscores her growing presence on the WTA stage, an encouraging sign for Indonesian tennis as she continues to test herself against the world’s elite. ***