Eighteen-year-old Austrian tennis player Lilli Tagger captured her very first WTA singles title at the Prague Open. She defeated Ukraine’s Daria Snigur in a straight-set final with a score of 7-6(3), 6-2. With this triumph, Tagger became the first player from Austria to claim the singles trophy in Prague.
Overcoming a tough start
The championship match started with a strong push from Snigur, who quickly built a 5-2 lead in the opening set. Tagger stayed patient, saved a set point and won three straight games to force a tiebreak. She took control of the tiebreak 7-3 and carried that strong momentum into the second set, firing nine aces to seal the win.
Battle against top competitors
Tagger’s path to the trophy involved several impressive performances. In the semifinals, she outlasted Czech favorite Barbora Krejcikova in a tough three-set battle.
Coached by former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, Tagger displayed heavy groundstrokes and relentless aggression all week.
Gratitude to fans and family
During the trophy presentation, Tagger expressed her joy directly to the crowd. She noted, “It was an amazing week. The atmosphere was just incredible,” adding, “Without you this stadium wouldn’t have all this energy so thank you for coming out all week and cheering for us.”
She also thanked her parents, saying, “Today is quite a special day because my family is here. Normally, they watch every match at home but today they came to watch. Thank you very much. I think everything I’ve accomplished in life would not be possible without you.”
A big jump in world rankings
Following her breakthrough title, Tagger climbs nearly 30 places to enter the top 50 of the WTA rankings for the first time. It marks a major milestone early in her promising professional career.
