Janice Tjen, the introverted genius who is inspired by Barty to shine: "I am still very shy in the locker room"

Carlos Navarro | 4 Feb 2026 | 14.55

This is the great story of Janice Tjen. Source: Getty

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Just a year ago, the name Janice Tjen was still unknown to a large part of the WTA circuit. A player from Indonesia, a country with little tennis tradition, a product of the American college system, specifically from Pepperdine University, entering professionalism at over 21 years old... in a world of early talents and child prodigies, Tjen broke all molds. And that, of course, has been her focus in recent months.

Her breakthrough in 2025 has placed her within the top 50. She made her mark at the Australian Open just a couple of weeks ago, defeating Leylah Fernandez along the way, proving that her tennis skills also shine on the big stage. However, what stands out the most is her style: a forehand with a lot of spin, variations everywhere, use of the sliced backhand, approaches to the net, and ultimately, a variety that deviates from the mold of power hitters that dominate the current circuit. Her inspiration? Ashleigh Barty: now everything makes more sense.

"I was quite disheartened not to have the opportunity to meet her and see her in Australia. Hopefully, one day I can be with her," she stated in an interview with The National, shedding light on a player who promises to be a trailblazer in Southeast Asia, leading a resurgence that, alongside Alexandra Eala and her significant following in the Philippines, signifies a historic boost to tennis in this region.

"I would say it's a role, to make history for my country, that I embrace. However, it's not something I dwell on too much. I just want to be the best version of myself and see how far I can go, what milestones I can achieve, see how all the pieces fit together," states Tjen with conviction, whose confidence and ambition are a far cry from her personality. Intrinsically introverted, she still struggles to make friends in a locker room where she is still a stranger: "I've been in the circuit for less than a year still. Also, I am very shy socially, when I'm with people. I hope to make more friends on the circuit gradually,"

The support of the Indonesian public, key to believing more in herself: these are the great goals of Janice Tjen

If her tennis had gone unnoticed, her media exposure multiplied at the recent Australian Open. Just one victory put her on the front pages of her country's newspapers, and the proximity of Indonesia to Melbourne led waves of compatriots to support her. "I am quite surprised by all the attention I am receiving. Being so introverted myself, it still caught me off guard a bit. It is amazing to receive the love of the public and my compatriots. Melbourne was special, many Indonesians traveled; at the US Open, I felt people starting to pay attention to me, but here, being the Slam closest to home, I felt much more love and affection from the public," she recalls with a smile as she reflects on the past month of competition.

As we mentioned at the beginning, Tjen's path is far from conventional: she only started taking tennis seriously at the age of 12, in her native Jakarta, and the decision to choose university was not clear from the start, indicating that it was a "50%-50%", almost a toss-up. Her stints at the University of Oregon and Pepperdine University, where she graduated in Sociology, turned out to be the perfect springboard: upon entering the circuit, Tjen achieved a record of 41-3 to start her professional journey, going from having no ranking to being in the top 50... in just a year and a half.

And now, what's next? Her admiration for Barty, her unorthodox style, and the element of surprise she still carries make her one of the most captivating players on the circuit. Making history for Indonesia, being the highest-ranked player in her country's history, seems almost a given... something she sensibly plays down. "Everything is happening very fast, more than I expected, but I try to enjoy every second of the journey, improving and having a good time. The question I constantly ask myself is: 'How can I improve?' If that leads me to becoming the best player in my country's history, perfect, but my mindset is to be the best version of myself, reaching my full potential," she concludes. Keep an eye on her: she's a future star.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Janice Tjen, la introvertida genia que se inspira en Barty para brillar: "Todavía soy muy tímida en el vestuario"