Tjen Eliminates Fernandez in Australian Open First Round Shocker
Janice Tjen has made headlines with her stunning performance at the Australian Open, eliminating Leylah Fernandez in a first-round upset. Tjen, who is currently the top-ranked female player from Indonesia, showcased her talent by defeating the 22nd-seeded Fernandez in straight sets.
Match Overview
The match took place on January 19, 2026, and Tjen secured her victory with a score of 6-2, 7-6 (1). The match lasted for one hour and 43 minutes. Tjen’s strong performance included:
- Four aces
- 17 winners
- Six double faults
- 27 unforced errors
In comparison, Fernandez, hailing from Laval, Quebec, recorded:
- Two aces
- 16 winners
- Five double faults
- 28 unforced errors
Break Points and Return Games
In terms of break points, the statistics favored Tjen. She converted four of seven break points and won four out of ten return games. Conversely, Fernandez could only convert two of eight break points and won two of her ten return games.
Looking Ahead
Following this significant victory, Janice Tjen is set to face Karolina Pliskova from Czechia in her next match. Tjen’s rise in the WTA rankings, where she peaked at No. 53 in November, suggests that her potential is yet to be fully realized.
Women’s Doubles Action
In the women’s doubles, Victoria Mboko from Toronto and American partner Iva Jovic triumphed in their first-round match. They defeated the Norwegian-Estonian duo of Ulrikke Eikeri and Ingrid Neel with a score of 7-5, 6-3. Key statistics from this match include:
- Three aces
- Two double faults
- 70% of points won on first serve
- Four of ten return games won
They will advance to play the winner between Sorana Cirstea from Romania, Anna Kalinskaya from Russia, and the highly seeded pair of Elise Mertens from Belgium and Shuai Zhang from China.
This remarkable performance by both Tjen and Mboko highlights the emerging talent in tennis and sets the stage for an exciting tournament ahead. Keep an eye on El-Balad for further updates on the Australian Open.
