Emma Raducanu delivered another commanding performance at the US Open, brushing aside Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-1 to book her place in the third round. The British No.1 has now registered back-to-back straight-sets victories in New York, showcasing her sharpest form since her unforgettable title run four years ago.
Coming into the match, the challenge lay in adapting to Tjen’s unpredictable style. The 23-year-old Indonesian, who only turned professional last year after a successful stint in US college tennis, had built a remarkable 95-10 record on the lower circuits and recently stunned Veronika Kudermetova in the opening round. Her mix of heavy topspin forehands, biting backhand slices, and eagerness to approach the net drew comparisons with former world No.1 Ash Barty.
Raducanu, however, rose to the challenge immediately. Her serving proved pivotal, with 76% of first serves landing in, yielding 84% of points won behind it and five aces in just four service games of the first set. This dominance behind the serve gave her the freedom to dictate rallies with confidence. Using her backhand cross-court with precision, she forced Tjen repeatedly into defensive positions, neutralizing her tricky slice and controlling the tempo from the baseline.
The second set saw Raducanu grow even bolder. She stepped further inside the court, taking the ball early and striking clean winners that left her opponent struggling to cope with the pace. Tjen, still untested at this elite level, could find no answers against the sustained aggression and precision of Raducanu’s ball-striking.
This victory underlined the progress Raducanu has made in recent months. After admitting she had often relied more on resilience than shot quality, her latest displays reflect improvements in both consistency and power. Her ability to combine accuracy with proactive, fearless tennis is proving decisive as she continues to rebuild her form on the big stage.
With two dominant wins under her belt, Raducanu’s next test is set to be far sterner. She now awaits the winner of ninth seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, and qualifier Tereza Valentova. That clash will provide a clearer measure of just how far Raducanu has come and whether she is ready to mount another deep run at Flushing Meadows.
