Emma Raducanu’s US Open victory inspired next opponent Janice Tjen’s career

By Eleanor Crooks, PA Sport Correspondent, New York

Emma Raducanu’s incredible 2021 run to the US Open title helped inspire her next opponent to believe a career in the professional game was possible.

Watching from Pepperdine University in California was sociology student Janice Tjen, who on Sunday became the first Indonesian player for more than 20 years to win a grand slam singles match.

Tjen’s victory over 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova was one of the most surprisingly results of the tournament so far on paper, but a closer look at the 23-year-old’s trajectory makes it somewhat less shocking.

In her first season on the professional tour, Tjen has won six tournaments and 59 matches, and has climbed from outside 400 in the rankings to the brink of the top 100, qualifying for her maiden grand slam tournament here.

Raducanu, of course, became the only qualifier ever to win a slam title, and Tjen said: “When Emma won the tournament and having an incredible run here, I was actually in college, and I was injured at the time, so I got to watch a lot of tennis.

“Just seeing her doing it made me inspired to be able to do it, as well. Emma is very big. Everyone loves Emma at home. She’s a very well-known player, and I’m just excited for the opportunity.”

Tjen and Filipina Alexandra Eala both claimed big victories for Asia in round one, and the chance to write history for her nation is another motivating factor.

“It means a lot,” said Tjen. “I feel proud to be able to do this for my country. Hopefully, by me making an appearance here, it will help inspire more tennis players, younger kids to play tennis and also believing that they can be here too.”

Raducanu may very well never have clapped eyes on Tjen before this week, adding to potential nerves, but the British number one could scarcely have cut a more relaxed and happy figure in New York so far.

It took her just over an hour to brush aside Ena Shibahara in round one, with the workout so light that she immediately headed back to the practice court with new coach Francisco Roig.

The Spaniard’s presence in her box is another reason for Raducanu’s confidence, with the pair quickly having struck up a good relationship and understanding.

“I put a lot of trust in what I’m doing with Francisco on the practice court,” said Raducanu. “I think we’re just working really well, doing the right stuff on the practice court and I just feel like I’m improving.

“To take confidence from what I’m doing behind the scenes and not just I have confidence because I have won these matches on the tour. I’m doing a lot day to day. It’s going well and I’m enjoying it.

“I’m enjoying getting better and the process of feeling like at the end of the day I’m satisfied I got a little bit better, and just repeating it. I think that’s probably the biggest success and reason to why I feel the way I do right now.”

Raducanu has always enjoyed scouting future opponents herself and putting her analytical skills to the test, but she revealed she is keeping the focus on herself as she bids to follow up a first New York win for four years.

“I think I’m probably watching less now,” she said. “I just have a good awareness of the opponent, what they like to do and a lot more centred around me.

“I think I’m trusting myself, trusting my own abilities, a lot more and I know what I need to do on the court as well, not necessarily searching so much to the box, asking for what to do, only if I feel like I really need it.

“I think that’s helped me keep myself in the match, my head in the match, rather than looking up, getting distracted and kind of searching for something.”