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Lilli Tagger Wins First WTA Title in Prague and Breaks Into Top 50

Her rare one-handed backhand, coached by Francesca Schiavone, has fast-tracked her rise into the tour’s competitive ranks.

Overview

  • Tagger defeated Daria Snigur 7-6(3), 6-2 to claim her maiden WTA Tour title at the Livesport Prague Open, a WTA 250 event, on Sunday, July 26.
  • The victory lifted the 18-year-old to a career-high world No. 45, marking her Top 50 debut and making her the first player born in 2008 to win a Tour-level title.
  • Her run included wins over seeded players Sara Bejlek and Barbora Krejčíková, with the semifinal versus Krejčíková lasting about 2 hours 50 minutes and featuring two tiebreaks.
  • Tagger’s distinct one-handed backhand and a potent serve were decisive in the final, where she hit nine aces and won an unusually high share of first- and second-serve points.
  • Coached by former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, Tagger’s ranking gain improves her access to higher-tier events and makes her a likely entrant on the upcoming North American hard-court swing, including the Canadian Open.