BANGKOK: Indonesian tennis star, Janice Tjen, is optimistic about Southeast Asia’s tennis future.
After a solid showing at the SEA Games, she looks to build on her Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) success and inspire rising players in the region.
The 23-year-old from Jakarta, currently ranked world No. 54 in singles and No. 84 in doubles, made her SEA Games debut at the National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
The Indonesian ace was forced to retire during her women’s singles semifinal at the SEA Games due to breathing issues, resulting in her settling for the bronze medal.
Her sudden retirement dashed hopes of a highly anticipated gold-medal rematch against the Philippines’ top seed, Alex Eala, who went on to win gold.
“This was my first SEA Games, and I was really impressed by the improving level of tennis across Southeast Asia.
“There are many talented juniors coming up, like Malaysia’s Shihomi Leong and Singapore’s Eva Marie Desvignes. Hopefully, there will be more and more players emerging from Southeast Asia,” Tjen said in an exclusive interview with the ‘Sarawak Tribune’.
Tjen’s rise on the WTA Tour has been remarkable. Earlier this year, she made history at the 2025 Chennai Open by becoming the first Indonesian woman to win a main tour singles title since Angelique Widjaja.
With one WTA singles title and two doubles titles under her belt, she is now focused on maintaining consistency and competing across a full WTA calendar for the first time in 2026.
“I’m really looking forward to playing a full WTA calendar. It’s going to be my first time competing on the tour for the whole year. I’m excited to compete against those players,” she said.
Tjen also took time to encourage young athletes from Southeast Asia who aspire to break through on the international stage.
“Never lose hope and always believe in yourself. I think belief is the most important thing. Just because we’re from a region that hasn’t – at least for now – had much representation, it doesn’t matter where you come from,” she said.
As Southeast Asian tennis continues to develop, players like Janice Tjen and the Philippines’ Alex Eala are becoming important role models, showing that talent from this part of the world can shine on the global stage.
