MELBOURNE, Australia: Janice Tjen of Indonesia added another chapter to her own fairytale breakout story at the Australian Open on Tuesday. With a cool, composed performance, she knocked off Leylah Fernandez of Canada to become the first Indonesian in 28 years to win a singles match at the season’s opening Grand Slam.
Unseeded Tjen outplayed 22nd seed Fernandez 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) in the first round to reach the second round in Melbourne and to add a notable milestone to a year that has marked her rise. She is 23 and the first Indonesian to win a major singles match since Yayuk Basuki managed to pull off a similar feat back in 1998.
Speaking after the match, Tjen called it “special” to have been able to contribute to her country’s sporting history. “I’m very happy to be part of history and to get a win here for Indonesia,” she said, noting that playing before family, close friends, and a sizeable Indonesian cheering section made the moment even more poignant.
Tjen started 2023 ranked 413 and has risen swiftly to world number 59, a rise built off consistent performances at tour and major levels. That breakthrough came in 2025, where she knocked off higher-ranked players and began receiving attention both in and outside the court. “Sometimes I get recognized here and there, and I find that nice,” she said of life changing since her rise.
But Tjen burst out of the blocks against Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist, taking the first set in 36 minutes thanks to aggressive baseline play and pinpoint serving. She maintained the momentum at the start of the second, forcing early break points as she dictated the tempo.
But Fernandez staged a brief comeback, taking three consecutive games to force a tiebreak. With Tjen then settling herself down, she took an early control of the tiebreak and never relinquished it, punctuating with an ear-splitting roar of triumph that circled the arena.
This win further adds to a bulging list of milestones for Tjen. Earlier, she stunned Russian Veronika Kudermetova at the US Open as a qualifier, becoming the first Indonesian in a Grand Slam main singles draw since 2004. Last year, the Jakarta-born player also won the WTA Tour singles title in Chennai-thin country’s first since 2002. Looking out into a sea of red and white flags in the stands, Tjen called the support “a little bit like home,” underlining the significance of a victory that resonated far beyond the court.
