US Open: Emma Raducanu cruises past Janice Tjen to reach third round

New York, Aug 27 (IANS) Emma Raducanu returned to familiar territory at Flushing Meadows, advancing to the third round of the US Open for the first time since her 2021 title-winning run with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 victory over Indonesia’s Janice Tjen.

The 22-year-old Brit has looked sharp all week, dropping just four games in her first two matches. After sweeping past former doubles World No. 4 Ena Shibahara in her opener, Raducanu dismantled Tjen — a qualifier who had enjoyed a stunning rise since graduating from Pepperdine University last year. Tjen, ranked No. 149, came into the match on the back of a 101-13 win-loss record and a first-round upset of 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova. But against Raducanu, her dream run came to a swift end in just over an hour.

Raducanu’s serve proved decisive, firing eight aces and conceding only 13 points behind her delivery. She faced three break points in the third game but saved them all, ensuring her hold on the momentum. The Brit was equally clinical from the baseline, directing the majority of her attacks to Tjen’s backhand side, drawing frequent errors and carving out space for her 16 winners.

“Super dangerous opponent,” Raducanu said after the match. “She was playing extremely well, and I thought any ball that I put mid-court that was not necessarily good enough, she just put away easy. So I was really pleased with how I performed today.”

Though Tjen impressed with her volleying skills, winning all six points at the net, Raducanu’s precision and depth largely kept the Indonesian away from her strengths. The result marked Raducanu’s third run to the third round of a major in 2025, underlining her resurgence this season.

Next up, Raducanu will face either ninth seed Elena Rybakina or 18-year-old qualifier Tereza Valentova as she bids to reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the fourth time in her career.

--IANS

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