Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen pulled off a surprise victory over No. 22 seed Leylah Fernandez, winning 6-2, 7-6(1) in the first round of the Australian Open 2026. The match lasted 1 hour and 43 minutes on a hot afternoon in Melbourne. This marks Tjen's second consecutive Grand Slam opening-round upset against a seeded opponent.
On Day 3 of the Australian Open 2026, Janice Tjen continued her impressive run by defeating Canadian No. 22 seed Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6(1) to advance to the second round. The 1-hour-and-43-minute encounter took place under hot, sunny conditions in Melbourne, showcasing Tjen's strong serving game. In the opening set, Tjen won 100% of her first-serve points, building an early lead that Fernandez could not overcome despite a competitive second set decided by a tiebreak.
This victory is Tjen's second Grand Slam main-draw win and her second straight first-round upset of a seeded player, following her defeat of No. 24 Veronika Kudermetova at the US Open earlier in the year. As Indonesia's No. 1 women's player, Tjen has one WTA singles title and three doubles championships to her name. Fernandez, a former US Open finalist, struggled to find her rhythm against the qualifier's solid defense and serve.
Tjen now faces either Karolina Pliskova or Sloane Stephens in the next round. The upset was one of several surprises on Day 3, including Tereza Valentova's straight-sets win over No. 30 seed Maya Joint at John Cain Arena. The Australian Open continues with more matches highlighting emerging talents challenging the top seeds.
