After a fierce battle in three sets, Janis narrowly missed out on the championship title in the challenge tournament.

The year 2022 was a remarkable one, as three young Chinese players born after 2000—Wang Xinyu, Wang Xiyu, and Zheng Qinwen—achieved their first Grand Slam victories together at the Australian Open. Likewise, during this year, Chinese male tennis players also made a series of breakthroughs in Grand Slam events, challenger tournaments, and hope tournaments. Because of this, many local government departments and enterprises contributed financially and with manpower, leading to the emergence of the China season.

However, the China season was not solely a platform for Chinese players; some foreign players also achieved new career milestones here. Today, we will talk about one such foreign player who, after leaving the China season, faced two consecutive defeats in the finals of challenger tournaments. So, who is this player? What really happened? Let this article take you through it.

This player is Janis from Indonesia. Earlier this year, her world ranking was still hovering outside the top 410. In the first two months of the season, Janis's performance was not very impressive, often exiting early in hope tournaments. In early April, after defeating Japanese players Shihoko Akita and Sayaka Ishii, as well as South Korean player Ku Y, in the Osaka hope tournament, Janis faced a crushing defeat against Ma Yexin in the semifinals, losing both sets decisively.

Despite being heavily impacted by Chinese players, Janis's performance began to improve. In early May, she achieved a five-match winning streak at a hope tournament in South Korea, claiming her first hope tournament title of the 2025 season. Notably, Janis defeated Chinese player Zhu Lin in the final. Overcoming this former tour champion boosted Janis's confidence. From mid-May to the end of June, Janis enjoyed a remarkable 25-match winning streak, securing five titles in a row. This impressive performance propelled her world ranking up by over 200 spots.

Recently, at the Lexington Challenge, Janis competed as the seventh seed. In the first round, she fought hard through three sets to overcome American player Hannah Zhang. Following that, Janis triumphed over American player H Inoue, French player Ponsé, and another American player Crowley, advancing to the final.

In the final against Chinese player Wang Xiyu, Janis took the first set 6-3, momentarily seeing the light of victory. However, in the subsequent matches, Wang Xiyu rallied back to win two sets in a row, reversing the match and claiming her first challenge tournament title of the 2025 season. Janis, on the other hand, had to accept the disappointment of defeat, but this still marked her best performance in a challenge tournament.

Last week, Janis appeared at the Lantysville Challenge. In the first round, she easily defeated American player E Ionescu, who received a wildcard, advancing smoothly. In the second round, Janis faced the tournament's second seed, Swiss player Walter. In this match, Janis performed exceptionally well, sweeping her opponent and moving on effortlessly.

In the quarterfinals against the eighth seed, Thai player Lanlana, Janis won comfortably, allowing her opponent only four games across two sets. Her semifinal opponent was the fourth seed, French player Ponsé. Perhaps due to her previous victory over this opponent, Janis maintained a psychological advantage and did not give her opponent any chances, winning decisively and reaching the second final of her professional career in a challenge tournament.

In the final, Janis faced the tournament's third seed, Croatian player Masic. In the first set, both players played cautiously, and the score remained close, ultimately leading to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Masic performed better, taking the first set and gaining the upper hand for the championship. Unwilling to give up, Janis mounted a comeback in the second set, winning 6-3 and pushing the match to a deciding set. In the final set, both players fought fiercely, and when the score was tied, Masic broke Janis's serve, not giving her a chance and clinching the victory.

Reaching the challenge tournament finals two weeks in a row and pushing her opponents to the deciding set is commendable. However, for various reasons, Janis has narrowly missed out on the championship each time, which is undoubtedly a regret. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that her skills have improved significantly. I believe that in the days to come, she will achieve even better results, and we can only wait and see. That concludes today's tennis story; stay tuned for more tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)