This is Raducanu's second consecutive victory against a qualifier. She previously dispatched Ena Shibahara in the opening round, dropping only three games. In the second round, Raducanu needed less than an hour to overcome Tjen, the world number 149 from Indonesia. This result marks Raducanu’s reaching the third round of all four Grand Slams this year.
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Raducanu (left) shakes hands with Tjen after the match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, New York, USA on 27/8. Photo: Reuters |
Raducanu (left) shakes hands with Tjen after the match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, New York, USA on 27/8. Photo: Reuters
"Janice is a very dangerous opponent. She plays really well, especially in mid-court rallies," Raducanu said after the match. "My serve was working well today; I hit a few aces. That helped me close out the match efficiently."
This summer, Raducanu focused on improving her serve. The 22-year-old demonstrated its effectiveness with eight aces, and frequently left Tjen unable to return successfully. Despite this dominance, Raducanu faced three break points – all in the third game – but saved them all.
Throughout the match, Raducanu lost only 13 points on her serve, achieving a 79% first-serve percentage and a 76% win rate on first serve. Tjen hit fewer winners than Raducanu (11 to 16) and committed more unforced errors (18 to 8).
Tjen's impressive run ended against the very player who inspired her. Raducanu had studied the Indonesian's game and effectively neutralized her powerful style. "Of course, I was warned about her. I entered the match cautiously," Raducanu added. "I'm pleased with how I controlled the ball and the situations. I didn't give her many chances to dictate play from inside the court."
In the third round, Raducanu will face ninth seed Elena Rybakina, who defeated Tereza Valentova 6-3, 7-6. A victory would mark Raducanu’s fourth time reaching the second week of a Grand Slam.
Tjen's US Open journey was memorable, becoming the first Indonesian woman to qualify for the main draw and then upsetting 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round. This marked Tjen's first victory against a top-50 opponent.
Vy Anh
