Janice Tjen Turns Full Focus to Singles at Charleston Open After Doubles Exit

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian tennis player Janice Tjen has shifted her full focus to the singles draw at the Charleston Open after bowing out in doubles alongside compatriot Aldila Sutjiadi.

Competing in the opening round of the WTA 500 tournament in Charleston, USA, on Wednesday local time, Janice and Aldila fell to top-seeded duo Aleksandra Krunic/Zhang Shuai, 6-7(3), 5-7, according to WTA records, as reported by Antara.

The first set was tightly contested, with the Croatian-Chinese pair asserting control through powerful serving. Krunic and Shuai struck one ace and landed 71.8 percent of their first serves.

While Janice and Aldila committed two double faults, their opponents capitalized on the lone break-point opportunity and went on to claim seven of 10 points in the tiebreak to secure the lead.

Janice and Aldila attempted a comeback in the second set, recording two aces and winning 66.7 percent of points on second-serve returns. However, Krunic and Shuai maintained their composure on serve and closed out the match in one hour and 33 minutes.

In singles, Janice enters the tournament as the 12th seed and received a first-round bye. Currently ranked No. 41 in the world, she will face American McCartney Kessler in the second round, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local time, or 10:00 p.m. Jakarta time.

Kessler, ranked No. 53, advanced after defeating fellow American Elvina Kalieva 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in her opener. The 2025 season marked a breakthrough for Kessler, who captured titles at the WTA 250 events in Hobart and Nottingham, and also won the doubles crown at the WTA 1000 Montreal alongside Coco Gauff.

Janice, meanwhile, is aiming to regain her best form after suffering first-round exits in her last three tournaments: the WTA 500 Merida, WTA 1000 Indian Wells, and WTA 1000 Miami.

With her focus now firmly on singles, she will aim to rediscover her best form and make a deeper run on the clay courts of Charleston. ***