A high-stakes South-Asian showdown awaits at the São Paulo Open as the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala faces Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in the quarterfinals. Both have been in commanding form and will clash for a coveted place in the semifinals.
Eala stormed into the quarterfinals with authority, dismantling Yasmine Mansouri 6-1, 6-0 before overpowering Julia Riera 6-1, 6-4 in the second round. Meanwhile, Tjen launched her campaign with a commanding win over Leolia Jeanjean and then cruised past Slovakia’s Martina Okalova in straight sets to book her spot in the last eight.
Alexandra Eala vs Janice Tjen Match Details
- Date: Sept. 12, 2025
- Tournament: SP Open 2025
- Round: Quarterfinals
- Venue: Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Category: WTA 250
- Surface: Outdoor hard
- Live telecast: USA – ESPN, ESPN+/ UK – Sky Sports/ Canada – TSN, RDS
Eala vs Tjen Head-to-Head
Adding to the intrigue of this clash is the fact that both rising stars will be facing each other for the first time at the pro level, though they have encountered thrice as juniors. The Filipino has enjoyed a solid season, highlighted by a semifinal run in Miami, a runner-up finish in Eastbourne, and a triumphant run recently at the WTA 125 event in Guadalajara. The seven-match winning streak she carries into this encounter bolsters her confidence further.
CHAMP AT LAST! 🏆
BREAKING NEWS. Alex Eala captures her first WTA Challenger crown as she rules the Guadalajara Open in Mexico following a hard-fought 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Hungary’s Panna Udvardy in the final.
Congratulations, Alex! 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/S5yVgoIb6b
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 6, 2025
Meanwhile, Tjen has been a force on the ITF circuit, reaching nine finals and capturing six titles. With both players bringing impressive form into São Paulo, a fiercely contested battle is on the cards.
Eala vs Tjen Prediction
Eala’s breakthrough came earlier this year when she stunned World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the Miami Open quarterfinals. Since then, the dark horse has continued to impress and has also shown her best tennis on hard courts. The Filipino holds a strong overall win percentage of 67.66% on the surface.
Her confidence has been on a steady rise, sparked by a brief yet historic US Open campaign where she stunned 14th seed Clara Tauson to become the first from her country to win a main-draw Grand Slam match in the Open Era. She followed it with a title run in Guadalajara, and her current surge in São Paulo further fuels her momentum heading into the quarterfinals.
However, overcoming Tjen will be no easy task for Eala. The Indonesian combines an all-round game with steely resilience and has been stronger on serve, winning 68.2% of her service games compared to the 20-year-old’s 58.6%. The World No. 130 also became the first from her country in the Open Era to win a main-draw Grand Slam match, defeating Veronika Kudermetova in the first round of the US Open.
While the two have never faced each other on tour, Eala’s greater experience at the tour-level and in main-draw matches could give her an edge over the Indonesian.
Pick: Eala to win in three sets.
