Tennis athlete Janice Tjen. Photo from Tjen's Instagram
Janice Tjen of Indonesia expressed excitement over the expanding opportunities in her tennis career, including the possibility of competing alongside Alex Eala at the upcoming Philippine Women’s Open set for January 24–31 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Courts.
The tournament marks a historic milestone as the first-ever WTA 125 event to be held in Manila.
Fresh off a team gold medal finish at the Southeast Asian Games, Tjen said she was proud of the achievement and grateful for the strong support behind her.
Reflecting on the experience, she said: “It’s a different feeling to have a lot of people behind you.”
Currently ranked World No. 54, Tjen acknowledged how quickly her career has progressed right after college. “Obviously I’m very happy that my ranking has allowed me to join bigger tournaments, so I’m very excited for that.”
She also admitted the jump came sooner than expected: “I didn’t expect (my rankings) to grow that fast.”
Tjen also spoke fondly of her long-standing connection with Filipina tennis star Eala.
“We’ve known each other since we were very young, I think when I was 12 and Alex was 9,” she said. “So it’s been a long journey.”
Both Tjen and Eala are currently competing at the Australian Open, which means Tjen’s participation in the Philippine Tennis Open will depend on how deep her run goes in Melbourne.
Regardless, her interest in playing in Manila underscores both her connection to the Philippines and her excitement about the country hosting a landmark event on the WTA calendar.
Tjen’s joining the Manila WTA 125 will depend on her results at the Australian Open.