Janice Tjen never had a chance against McCartney Kessler in the second round of the 2026 Charleston Open. Though the Indonesian was the 12 seed, she was overwhelmed by the American playing arguably at her highest level.
In the first set, Kessler could do little wrong. She hit with bombast and moved around the court with ease. Even when hitting defensive shots, she landed brilliant cross-court winners. She wasn't simply playing well enough to defeat Tjen; she was playing at a form that could make her a threat to win the title in Charleston.
At least, on this day. Consistency hasn't been the strongest part of the American's game, even though she has the skill to compete with most of the top players on the WTA tour. She also approached the match mentally as if she had won Grand Slams previously.
McCartney Kessler dispatches Janice Tjen at the 2026 Charleston Open
To be fair, Kessler, at 26 years old, is seeing an uptick in her career. She won two of her three career titles in 2025, and she may win a fourth at the Charleston Open. Her competition will get tougher, but as long as Kessler remains as confident as she played against Tjen, no one might be able to stand in her way.
After a brutal beating in set one, dropping it 2-6, things did not get easier for Tjen in the second. The only real question was whether she would even win a game. She finally got a victory in the sixth game, but all Kessler needed to do was hold to take the set 6-1. At least, Tjen can take away that she didn't get bageled in the final set.
McCartney Kessler is currently ranked 53, but if she plays as well during the clay court season as she played in the second round of Charleston, she could equal her career-high of 30 before the spring is done.
Kessler will next face the winner of the Ashlyn Krueger and Peyton Sterns match in the third round. If Kessler plays as well as she did in the second round, she should be the favorite against Kreuger or Stearns.