Big Test for Tjen

Can surging ITF qualifier trouble Kudermetova?

This may not be the most watched or the most anticipated match of the opening round of play, but there is plenty to discuss when it comes to Veronika Kudermetova and Janice Tjen.

For starters, let's take a look at the underdog, who has been on a tear this year on hard courts. The record is very impressive, but it has obviously been skewed by the fact that she's played primarily on the ITF circuit and in regions of the world that don't tend to draw the toughest fields, even at the lower levels. Thus, the quality of competition leaves a lot to be desired.

Her game reminds me a lot of the young players that tend to dominate at the ITF level, with plenty of consistency and a tad bit of offensive mindset, but still lacks a lot of power, making it tough to break through against more established opposition. Even her path through the qualifying draw this past week saw her beat two players that base their games heavily on variety and "junkball" and then an aging Varvara Lepchenko, who has never really possessed much pop in her game.

This is going to be her first real test in quite some time, and it may not be coming at the best time.

Kudermetova has had an off-and-on 2025 season, but she returned to the world's top-30 over the course of the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, reaching the semifinals before falling in three sets to Jasmine Paolini. With a well-rounded game that features a pretty decent first serve, the ability to hit well from the baseline and a sound game in the forecourt, Kudermetova should really be a more consistent presence in the top-25. The lack of net clearance at times has hurt her and the forehand errors have done her in far too many times two or three matches into a tournament. Thus, it's no surprise that the event she managed to play solid baseline tennis and survive the longer rallies, she was able to make a deep run that featured a pair of underdog victories.