Janice Tjen exits Guadalajara Open in second round after loss to Stephens

Indonesian tennis player Janice Tjen's campaign at the Guadalajara Open 2026 ended in the second round on 16 September when she lost to American player Sloane Stephens at the Panamerican Tennis Center in Zapopan, Mexico. The match was decided in two tight sets, both requiring tie-breaks. Stephens won 6-7(6-4), 6-7(3-7) in a closely contested encounter.

Janice, the fifth seed at the WTA 500 tournament, had begun her Guadalajara campaign positively by defeating Czech player Dominika Vidmanova 7-6(6), 6-2 in the first round on 14 September. That victory came after an early exit from the US Open 2026, where she lost in the first round to fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 2-6. In US Open doubles, she and Canadian partner Leylah Fernandez were eliminated in the second round.

Against Stephens, Janice remained competitive throughout. The first set went to a tie-break after both players held serve through 12 games at 6-6. Stephens secured the opening set by winning the tie-break 7-6(4). In the second set, Janice mounted a comeback, taking a 5-2 lead after recovering from an early 0-1 deficit and converting a break point. However, Stephens rallied with three consecutive games to level at 5-5. Another tie-break ensued, which Stephens dominated 7-3 to clinch the match and eliminate Janice from the tournament.

Stephens, a former US Open champion and former top-ranked player, proved too strong in the decisive moments. Janice, currently ranked 51st in the world, was unable to convert her set-two advantage into a victory despite showing resilience and tactical improvement as the match progressed.