JAKARTA – Indonesian tennis star Janice Tjen is gearing up for a formidable challenge in the 16th round of the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship, where she will face second seed Amanda Anisimova from the United States. Janice advanced to the third stage of this prestigious WTA 1000 tournament following a hard-fought straight-set victory over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, with scores of 7-6(5), 6-4, on Monday, February 16, WIB. This marks an important milestone for the 23-year-old, as it is her first time proceeding to the third round in an elite tournament of the WTA Tour calendar. Previously, Janice had reached only the second round in tournaments at the WTA 500 level or higher.
Earlier this season, Janice competed in the Australian Open, marking her second appearance in a Grand Slam. She managed to win her first-round match against Leylah Fernandez but was eliminated in the next round by former world number one Karolina Pliskova. Additionally, she participated in the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open and the WTA 1000 Qatar Open, successfully navigating the first rounds but falling in subsequent matches against Liudmila Samsonova and Iga Swiatek, respectively.
Facing Anisimova, the 24-year-old world number six, will test Janice’s mettle, as Anisimova has advanced seamlessly through the tournament without dropping a game. Initially set to confront Czech player Barbora Krejcikova in the second round, Anisimova received a walkover, meaning she has yet to play a match in Dubai.
Aside from her singles efforts, Janice is also competing in the women’s doubles event in Dubai, partnering with Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic. The duo emerged victorious in their first-round match, despite the disappointing exit of another Indonesian player, Aldila Sutjiadi, who alongside her partner Irina Khromacheva from Russia, fell in the first round of the doubles tournament.
With Janice’s impressive progress in the tournament, there is much anticipation and hope surrounding her upcoming match against Anisimova, as she aims to make her mark in the international tennis arena.