Janice Tjen Reveals the Reason for Her Absence Representing Indonesia at the 2026 Asian Games

Indonesian women's tennis player Janice Tjen has been confirmed to not represent Indonesia at the 2026 Asian Games. Janice is forced to miss Asia's largest multi-sport event as its schedule overlaps with the WTA 1000 tournament held in Beijing, China.

Janice announced this decision through a social media post on Friday. The 24-year-old athlete stated that the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) had confirmed she would not be granted exemption to leave the mandatory tournament in order to compete at the Asian Games.

"After thorough consideration, I have had to make this very difficult decision that I cannot compete at this year's Asian Games, which is being held at the same time as the mandatory WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing," Janice stated.

This was a heavy decision for Janice, as representing Indonesia holds a very special place throughout her career journey. She admitted that she always feels happy and proud whenever she gets the chance to wear the Red and White national attributes at international competitions.

Janice previously secured a women's doubles bronze medal for Indonesia alongside Aldila Sutjiadi at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

At the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, Janice won gold in women's doubles with Aldila, gold in the women's team event, as well as bronze in women's singles.

She was also part of Indonesia's squad at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup. Her presence helped the national team earn promotion, adding another important milestone for Janice while representing her country.

"Representing Indonesia on the international stage means so much to me. I always take pride in carrying Indonesia's name and flag with me every single week on the WTA Tour," she said.

However, this year's professional tennis calendar has forced Janice to set priorities. The Beijing WTA 1000 is classified as a mandatory tournament, and the WTA did not grant Janice special exemption to appear at the 2026 Asian Games.

For Janice, her decision to skip the Asian Games does not mean any reduction in her commitment to Indonesia. She reaffirmed that she will continue to uphold Indonesia's name through competition at the highest level of world tennis.

The Jakarta-born tennis player also expressed her gratitude to Indonesian tennis fans for their continuous support that has accompanied her career. She promised to give her best performance in every tournament.

"I will keep giving my absolute best to make Indonesia proud on the global stage, and I hope I will receive another opportunity to represent Indonesia in the future," Janice stated.

Janice's unavailability is a major loss for Indonesia at the 2026 Asian Games, especially considering her proven track record at multi-sport events.