Jakarta. Indonesia’s Janice Tjen reached her first WTA final at the Sao Paulo Open before falling short against France’s Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah on Monday, capping a breakthrough week that pushes her closer to the world’s top 100.

The 22-year-old lost 3-6, 4-6 in an 86-minute battle, producing four aces but converting only two of 10 break points. Rajaonah was more efficient, taking four of eight chances to claim the title.

Tjen’s run in Brazil marked a historic milestone for Indonesian tennis. She became only the third Indonesian woman after Yayuk Basuki and Angelique Widjaja to reach a WTA singles final in the Open Era.

The result is expected to lift her to a live ranking of No. 103, her highest to date, leaving her on the verge of breaking into the top 100 and securing direct entry into most WTA events.

Tjen has enjoyed a rapid rise over the past year, highlighted by her US Open debut last month where she qualified for the main draw and reached the second round after defeating Veronika Kudermetova. She eventually bowed out to former champion Emma Raducanu.

Since mid-2024, she has won six titles and reached nine finals on the ITF and WTA circuits, recording 45 victories in her last 50 matches. Her progress has fueled hopes of a revival for Indonesian tennis, which has not had a top-100 women’s player since Widjaja two decades ago.

At Sao Paulo, Tjen earned $21,484 in prize money, adding to the $154,000 she pocketed from the US Open, further boosting her season earnings.

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