Tennis revolution: Lilli Tagger makes history in Paris!

Tennis revolution: Lilli Tagger makes history in Paris!

The tennis court in Paris was shaken by a historic victory today: Lilli Tagger, just 17 years old, became the first Austrian to win the junior competition at the French Open. In the decisive final she defeated eighth seed Hannah Klugman from Great Britain with an impressive score of 6:2, 6:0. Tagger only needed 78 minutes for her triumph on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

What is particularly remarkable is the fact that she didn't drop a single set in the entire tournament. This extraordinary achievement is celebrated by local tennis legends, who believe the talented player will have a brilliant career. Tagger's path to the title was filled with challenges as she had to defeat a total of four seeds, including current world number one Emerson Jones in the semi-finals.

A successful path

Tagger won her first pro-level title at the W35 tournament in Terrassa, Spain in March 2025 and has already reached the quarterfinals at the 2025 Australian Open. Her development as a player was particularly influenced by training with former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who won the title 15 years ago. The two have been working together since October 2023, and during this time Tagger has perfected her one-handed backhand.

The connection between Tagger and Schiavone was clearly evident throughout the tournament, where the 17-year-old impressed with her impressive technique and style of play. The title at the French Open is not only a personal success for the young Austrian, but also an important moment for Austrian tennis as a whole.

Successes in girls' doubles

While Lilli Tagger dominated the headlines in the singles, there were also exciting encounters in the girls' doubles. The unseeded Germans Eva Bennemann and Sonja Zhenikhova beat the third-seeded Czech sisters Alena and Jana Kovakova 4-6, 6-4, [10-8]. Such results demonstrate the diversity and competitive spirit that characterizes junior Grand Slam tournaments.

With her victory, Lilli Tagger shows that she has the potential to follow in the footsteps of great players. While the tennis world looks forward to its next steps and challenges, the triumph at the French Open remains an unforgettable chapter in the history of Austrian sport. [Krone] reports that their potential promotion is already being followed with great interest by fans. Her achievements in the tournament have not only shed a new light on herself, but also on tennis in Austria. A look at the [WTA tennis site] shows how much these achievements are appreciated by the tennis community.

Another look at the [Wikipedia list of Grand Slam winners] illustrates how rare it is for players from Austria to be successful at this level and further highlights the significance of Tagger's victory.