In an exhilarating finish at the WTA 250 SP Open held at Villa-Lobos Park in São Paulo, France’s Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah clinched her first Hologic WTA Tour title by defeating Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. The match, which lasted one hour and 22 minutes, marked a significant milestone for the 19-year-old as she became the first French teenager to win a WTA-level event since 2016.
Rakotomanga Rajaonah’s journey to the title was nothing short of remarkable. After a dramatic first-round match where she staged a comeback from 0-5 down in the final set to win in a tiebreak, she didn’t drop another set for the remainder of the tournament. Reflecting on her victory, she shared her disbelief: “I still can’t believe it! It was a title I really wanted to win. I was very nervous this morning, but I managed to relax during the match and enjoy the moment. This trophy will always have a special place in my heart.”
The span of the final showcased Rakotomanga Rajaonah’s resilience. Despite facing pressure from Tjen, who had not lost a set in her previous rounds, the Frenchwoman demonstrated grit by saving numerous break points. Her tactical play and strategic serves allowed her to convert four out of eight break points, gaining the upper hand when it mattered most.
Tjen applied early pressure, earning nine break points in the opening set, but Rakotomanga Rajaonah’s composure shone through as she defended successfully against these challenges. When Tjen held serve at 3-4 in the final set despite facing four break points, it hinted at a potential comeback. However, Rakotomanga Rajaonah held her ground, ultimately securing the match with a stunning lob that landed perfectly inside the baseline.
“I wasn’t the favourite in this tournament, and I played match by match, point by point,” Rakotomanga Rajaonah commented during the trophy presentation. “So, yes, I’m very happy and grateful for what I did here. I think I deserve it.”
Throughout the match, she showcased impressive characteristics of her game, landing 67% of her first serves and winning 75% of her second-serve points. Although she committed five double faults, her ability to keep her unforced errors to a minimum (just 23) reflected a focused performance.
Having entered the tournament ranked outside the top 200, Rakotomanga Rajaonah’s victory propelled her to number 131 in the PIF WTA Rankings, marking an ascent of 80 spots and positioning her as the eighth-ranked player under 20 years old. In contrast, Tjen’s commendable performance also yielded a significant ranking improvement, propelling her to number 103 and nearing a top-100 breakthrough.
Reflecting on her final match, Tjen acknowledged her opponent’s prowess: “Today, she played very well and I couldn’t escape the pressure she put on me. I’ll try to learn from this.” She also expressed enthusiasm about returning for the tournament’s next edition: “This tournament is more important than any other I’ve ever played,” she concluded.
In the doubles final that preceded the singles championship, top-seeds Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani claimed victory against the third-seeded duo of Ingrid Martins and Laura Pigossi, winning 4-6, 6-3 [10-4]. This win marked their third title together in 2025, adding to Babos’s impressive haul of 28 career WTA doubles titles and Stefani’s twelfth.
Overall, the SP Open proved to be a pivotal moment in both Rakotomanga Rajaonah’s and Tjen’s careers, showcasing their immense potential on the international tennis stage.
