Janice Tjen is having two very different weeks in Guangzhou. Her singles campaign is over, with a substantial ranking drop looming. But in doubles, the Indonesian has found a rather extraordinary partner to keep her title defence alive.
Tjen and Venus Williams reached the Guangzhou Open 2026 doubles semifinals on Wednesday, October 28, defeating Lyudmyla Kichenok and Makoto Ninomiya 6-1, 6-3 in just 58 minutes.
It was their second consecutive straight-sets victory, leaving the Indonesian-American combination two wins away from the championship.
For Tjen, there is a particularly appealing incentive. She won the Guangzhou doubles title last year alongside Poland’s Katarzyna Piter. Twelve months later, she is attempting to defend it with one of the most famous players in tennis history.
And at 46, Williams has reached her first WTA Tour-level doubles semifinal since 2016.
Two Matches, Two Victories and a Delighted Janice Tjen
Their partnership began on Monday at the Nansha International Tennis Center against Ekaterine Gorgodze and Kimberley Zimmermann.
Tjen and Williams raced through the opening set 6-0, immediately suggesting that their unfamiliar partnership might work rather well.
The second set was considerably tighter.
After moving ahead 4-1, they allowed their opponents back into contention. Gorgodze and Zimmermann eventually levelled at 5-5, but the Indonesian-American pair recovered to win the final two games and complete a 6-0, 7-5 victory.
Tjen could hardly contain her excitement.
As reported by Indonesian publication Okezone, she celebrated the victory on Instagram, describing her first win alongside Venus Williams as an unforgettable moment.
But she also made something clear: they weren’t finished.
Wednesday’s quarterfinal provided the evidence.
Against Kichenok and Ninomiya, Tjen and Williams won 61% of the points played, conceding just four games across two sets.
The opening set was particularly convincing, with the pair needing little time to establish control.
Their opponents offered greater resistance in the second, but Tjen and Williams maintained their advantage to complete the victory in under an hour.
Two matches together.
Two victories.
Not a set lost.
For a partnership formed specifically for Guangzhou, that is an impressive beginning.
From Osaka Champion to Guangzhou Semifinalist
Tjen arrived in China with considerable doubles momentum already behind her.
Just days earlier, she had captured the Japan Open doubles title in Osaka alongside Australia’s Storm Hunter.
The pair defeated Czech duo Jesika Maleckova and Miriam Skoch 6-4, 6-1 in the final on October 24.
Now Tjen is attempting to win another championship with a different partner in consecutive weeks.
It is the latest chapter in a remarkable progression for the Indonesian, who has established herself as a serious doubles competitor while continuing to develop her singles career.
In 2025, Tjen and Piter defeated Eudice Chong and En-Shuo Liang 3-6, 6-3, 10-5 to lift the doubles trophy.
It was Tjen’s first WTA Tour-level doubles title.
She subsequently added another championship in Chennai alongside compatriot Aldila Sutjiadi.
Now, with Venus Williams beside her, she has another opportunity to extend that record.
There is also an intriguing reversal of roles.
Williams brings decades of experience and an extraordinary collection of Grand Slam titles.
But Tjen is the defending Guangzhou champion. She knows what it takes to win this particular tournament.
Singles Defeat Brings a Painful Ranking Reality
The doubles success provides welcome encouragement after a disappointing singles campaign.
Tjen entered Guangzhou as the No. 2 seed and world No. 47, opening with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory over Polina Kudermetova.
But British qualifier Harriet Dart ended her run in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
Dart prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 after two hours and 28 minutes, despite Tjen recovering from the opening-set deficit.
Dart advances to face Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals.
For Tjen, the defeat carries consequences beyond elimination.
She is approaching the anniversary of her breakthrough victory at the 2025 Chennai Open, where she defeated Kimberly Birrell to become Indonesia’s first WTA singles champion in 23 years.
That triumph earned her 250 ranking points.
With those points set to expire and only 30 points earned for reaching the Guangzhou round of 16, Tjen faces a projected net loss of 220 ranking points.
Her provisional total consequently falls from 1,120 to approximately 900 points, putting her around world No. 74.
That would represent a decline of roughly 27 places from her ranking entering the tournament.
These are live projections rather than final official standings, and the precise position may change depending on other results.
Nevertheless, it is a considerable setback for a player who reached a career-high No. 35 earlier this season.
The rolling ranking system offers little sympathy for last year’s achievements. Those points eventually have to be defended.
Venus Williams Also Finds Her Guangzhou Consolation in Doubles
The contrast between singles and doubles extends to Venus Williams.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion received a wildcard into the Guangzhou singles draw but lost 6-2, 6-2 to fourth seed Lilli Tagger in the opening round.
Her doubles partnership with Tjen has therefore become the more successful part of her Chinese visit.
And reaching the semifinals represents a notable milestone.
Williams had not progressed this far in a WTA Tour-level doubles event since 2016.
The age difference between the partners is striking: Williams is 46, while Tjen is 24.
But the combination appears comfortable on court.
For Venus, the semifinal offers another opportunity to compete for a title after returning to the professional circuit.
For Janice Tjen, it offers the chance to defend a championship she already knows how to win.
Two Wins Away From Another Guangzhou Title
Tjen and Williams will face the winners of the quarterfinal between Polina Kudermetova and Maria Timofeeva, and Eri Hozumi and Andreja Klepac.
That match will determine their semifinal opponents.
With the Guangzhou doubles final scheduled for Sunday, November 1, Tjen could finish the tournament with another trophy before the next singles rankings are published.
It would make for an unusual conclusion to her week.
The rankings may take away 27 places next week.
Guangzhou could still give Janice Tjen something rather more enjoyable before then: another trophy, with American legend Venus Williams standing beside her.