Janice Tjen Falls in Merida Open Doubles Semifinals After Hard-Fought 1 Hour 24 Minute Battle
Source: Antaranews/WTA
The impressive run of Indonesian Women's Tennis Player Janice Tjen in doubles ended in the Merida Open semifinals in Mexico. Partnered with Polish tennis player Katarzyna Piter, Janice lost to second seeds Cristina Bucsa/Jiang Xinyu on Saturday, February 27, 2026 WIB.
Janice/Piter put up resistance in the first set but ultimately fell to Cristina Bucsa/Jiang Xinyu 5-7, 6-2.
Small Details That Made the Difference
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The match remained tight from the start. WTA statistics showed Bucsa/Jiang led with a first-serve percentage of 68.4%. Janice/Piter excelled in points won on first serve at 68.4%.
The Indonesian/Polish pair also led in first-return points, but Bucsa/Jiang dominated second-return points.
The difference in effectiveness during crucial moments decided this one-hour 24-minute duel.
The Spanish/Chinese duo also handled critical points at 5-5, converting two of three break point opportunities to seize the opening set. This momentum became their foundation for controlling the next set.
As the second set began, Bucsa/Jiang maintained momentum by taking the first game. Janice/Piter countered by winning the second game to level.
Janice/Piter recorded a strong 81% first-serve percentage. However, this strength proved insufficient against Bucsa/Jiang's far superior return game.
Bucsa/Jiang won three consecutive games to lead 4-1. Janice/Piter disrupted their rhythm by taking one game, but couldn't prevent Bucsa/Jiang from closing out the match.
Evaluation of Janice Tjen's Performance
With this doubles defeat, Janice exits the WTA 500 event after also bowing out in the singles first round following a 4-6, 3-6 loss to Colombian player Camila Osorio.
Nevertheless, this semifinal appearance marks progress for Janice and Piter compared to their first-round exit at the Australian Open 2026 during their previous partnership.
The pair has demonstrated solid chemistry with two joint titles: last year's WTA 250 Guangzhou and January's WTA 250 Hobart.
While a semifinal exit isn't the desired outcome, Janice Tjen's competitive performance against second seeds confirms her status as one of Indonesia's most promising prospects on this season's WTA Tour.
