Indonesia’s Janice Tjen reached the biggest milestone of her career, defeating Slovakia’s Mia Pohánková 6-4, 6-3 to book a spot in the Chennai Open semifinals. The victory was built on composure, calculation, and superior serve-return balance.
Pohánková, just 16 and the reigning Wimbledon junior champion, entered with youthful firepower, hammering five aces. Yet her inconsistency proved costly: she committed four double faults and won only 15 percent of her second-serve points. Tjen exploited that weakness mercilessly, winning 81.8 percent of her own second-serve returns.
Tjen’s steadiness on serve formed the backbone of her win. She landed 66.7 percent of first serves and captured 63.6 percent of those points, while maintaining 72.7 percent on second-serve points. Facing four break points, she saved three; Pohánková, by contrast, faced eight and survived only four. Break-point conversion favored Tjen 4/8 (50 percent) to Pohánková’s 1/4 (25 percent)—the clearest reflection of control.
The Indonesian’s rally tolerance and court discipline stood out. She pinned her opponent behind the baseline, forcing the teenager to overhit. Tjen’s lack of aces was compensated by placement; she mixed short wide serves with deep kickers that kept Pohánková guessing. Whenever the rallies extended, her higher margin of safety made the difference.
Winning 63 percent of all points (45 of 72), Tjen dictated tempo from start to finish. After securing the first set 6-4 with a late break, she sprinted to 4-1 in the second before calmly closing 6-3. “I kept telling myself, be patient and play smart,” she said post-match. “She’s a powerful hitter, but I knew if I stayed consistent, I’d get my chances.”
This semifinal appearance marks a breakthrough for the 22-year-old, who has now compiled a 12-4 record this season. For Pohánková, the defeat is part of the learning curve, yet her flashes of brilliance reaffirm her long-term potential.
