RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian tennis star Janice Tjen launched her grass court campaign on a triumphant note, securing a hard-fought opening victory at the WTA 125 Birmingham Open. Facing off against Japan's experienced Nao Hibino on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, local time, the Indonesian powerhouse demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude to grind out a victory in a grueling three-set thriller.

According to official Birmingham Open tournament records, Janice fought past Hibino with a final scoreline of 2-1 (6-4, 3-6, 6-2). The win marks a positive transition onto the grass surface for Janice, who enters the prestigious British tournament carrying high expectations, Antara reported.

Janice asserted her aggressive baseline game early on, seizing the upper hand in the opening set. However, Hibino refused to back down easily, mounting a fierce counterattack that pushed the set to a tense 5-4 standalone game in the ninth frame. Weathering the pressure, Janice broke through to claim the first set 6-4, giving her a vital psychological cushion moving forward.

The second set saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Janice found herself chasing the score early on as Hibino raised her intensity. Showing immense grit, the Indonesian managed to level the playing field at 3-3 midway through the set. Ultimately, Hibino’s tactical adjustments proved too much to handle in the latter half, with the Japanese athlete successfully countering Tjen’s defenses to take the second set 6-3 and force a decider.

Regrouping ahead of the final set, Janice unleashed a sharper, high-velocity performance that completely dismantled Hibino’s rhythm. Executing precise winners, the Indonesian star dominated the court from the baseline, racing to a commanding 4-0 lead in the early games.

Though Hibino managed to temporarily halt the skid by holding serve to make it 1-4, Janice maintained her composure and baseline dominance. She closed out the final set with an emphatic 6-2 win to safely seal her passage into the tournament's next phase.

With this challenging opening hurdle out of the way, Janice advances directly to the second round of the Birmingham Open. She is next scheduled to face the winner of the highly anticipated first-round match between American Ashlyn Krueger and Japan's Himeno Sakatsume. ***