Janice Tjen's Remarkable Triumph: A First WTA Title to Remember!
What a season it's been for Janice Tjen! She capped off an extraordinary run by clinching her very first WTA 250 tour-level title. This victory came after a hard-fought battle against Kimberley Birrell, with Tjen emerging victorious with a score of 6-4, 6-3 in the singles final at the Chennai Open, held at the SDAT Stadium.
Before this momentous win, Tjen had already achieved a career-high ranking of 80, a massive leap from her position of 580 the previous year. Following this triumph, her ranking is expected to climb even higher. Moreover, this victory marks a significant milestone, as Tjen becomes the first Indonesian player to secure a singles title in 23 years, since Angelique Widjaja's win at the PTT Thailand Open back in 2002. For Birrell, the quest for her first WTA title continues. She faced her second defeat in a 250-level final, with her first loss occurring in Osaka, Japan, last year.
Birrell's journey to the final was marked by an incredible comeback in the semi-final against Joanna Garland. However, she struggled to find her rhythm in the final match. The fourth game of the first set was particularly thrilling, captivating the crowd. After taking a 3-1 lead, Birrell fought hard, but the game was a nail-biter. It involved eleven deuces and six breakpoints, but Birrell couldn't capitalize on her opportunities.
And this is the part most people miss... Birrell's inability to convert breakpoints was a recurring theme throughout the match, managing to convert only two out of her six break points into wins. Tjen, on the other hand, was more clinical, using her strong forehand returns and backhand slices to her advantage.
After winning the first set 6-4, Tjen took a commanding 4-1 lead in the second set. It seemed as though Birrell was slowly losing her grip on the match. It's worth noting that in her semi-final against Joanna Garland, which lasted 3 hours and 24 minutes, Birrell had mounted an impressive comeback from 5-0 down in the third set. She initially showed signs of a similar resurgence, bringing the score to 4-3. However, Tjen remained focused, ensuring she stayed true to her game.
"I don't think (the comeback ran in my mind). But she played well in those two games. I tried my best to convert one of my best to convert those games but I couldn't. But I trusted my game and stuck to it," Tjen explained.
Later in the day, Tjen teamed up with her compatriot Aldila Sutjiadi to defeat Storm Hunter and Monica Niculescu in straight sets, adding another victory to her impressive day.
Results Summary:
* Singles: J Tjen bt K Birrell 6-4, 6-3
* Doubles: Tjen/Sutjiadi bt Hunter/Niculescu 7-5, 6-4
But here's where it gets controversial... What do you think about Birrell's performance? Do you think the semi-final match took a toll on her? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
