Andreeva came through the opening round in 64 minutes, dropping one game. Tjen spent more than three hours on court and battled through a match in which she led 5:1 and failed to convert five match points. The difference in freshness is obvious. The first-set handicap follows different logic: the Indonesian needs only four games.
Janice Tjen
Tjen returned to hard courts and that immediately changed her level. Clay and grass were unfamiliar territory for her: her debut French Open and Wimbledon campaigns ended in the first and second rounds. She developed on hard courts and barely plays on any other surface. In Cincinnati, she has reached the third round for the first time since Dubai in February. The match against Viktorija Golubic answers the key question — can she handle pressure? Tjen squandered a 5:1 lead and five match points, but at 5:5 in the deciding set she won three games in a row (7:6, 5:7, 7:5). A player who closes out a three-hour match like that will not fall apart after losing two games early on.
Mirra Andreeva
Now for Andreeva. Her demolition of Oleksandra Oliynykova (6:1, 6:0) looks devastating until you examine the details. The first three games lasted almost half an hour. Mirra saved all seven break points on her serve — against the world No. 46. Immediately after the win, she went to work on her serve and double faults. Her previous tournament of this level ended quickly and badly: a 1:6, 4:6 defeat to Leylah Fernandez in Toronto. The title in Paris came at a cost, and Andreeva said it had been mentally difficult after the French Open. On hard courts in 2026, she has 23 wins and eight defeats — strong, but this is not the season of a player who consistently leaves opponents with one game per set.
Janice Tjen vs Mirra Andreeva Prediction
The conditions favour the handicap. It is hot and humid in Mason, the court is fast and low-bouncing, and rallies are shorter — making it easier for the server to win points without long exchanges. Add a 0-0 head-to-head record: Tjen will have to work out Andreeva's unfamiliar game during the first set. There is a difference in class, and there is no point arguing otherwise. But this bet is not about winning. For the handicap to land, Tjen only needs to win four games — a 6:4 score already suits her. Andreeva should win the set, just not comfortably.
