Indonesia’s Janice Tjen displays their winner’s trophy during the WTA Chennai Open 2025 Tennis Tournament final to be held at the SDAT Stadium, Nungambakkam in Chennai on Sunday. | Photo credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
There is little doubt that Janice Tjen has been the most consistent, if not the most flamboyant, player in the WTA 250 Chennai Open tennis tournament. And it was fitting that the 23-year-old Indonesian gave her best in the final against Australia’s Kimberly Birrell, winning 6-4, 6-3 in two hours at the SDAT-Nungambakkam Stadium on Sunday.
For Tjen, this is her first WTA 250 title after she reached the final of the Sao Paulo Open in September this year. From just outside the top 400 (412) at the end of last year to now in the top 100 (82), she has never had it so good.
Against Birrell, who produces a powerful forehand and backhand, Tjen knew she had to use her forehand – her only source of weapon, and she often did that to perfection when the going was tough.
In the first set, Tjen and Birrell fought tooth and nail. While Tjen broke the Australian in the first and seventh games, Birrell broke the Australian back in the sixth game to equalize at 3-3. With a series of forehand winners, Tjen Birrell broke at love in the crucial seventh game.
Birrell was never a quitter and fought with all his might in the second set. But the Indonesian had the last laugh. Tjen became the first Indonesian player to win a WTA Tour title after Angelique Widjaja in 2002.
“It was a heartbreaking loss when I finished second in the final of the Sao Paulo Open. I’m glad I came out better in the end today,” she said.
The result: Final: The 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-3
Published – Nov 3, 2025 04:37 IST
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