Austria's tennis sensation: Lilli Tagger wins at Roland Garros without losing a set!

Austria's tennis sensation: Lilli Tagger wins at Roland Garros without losing a set!

Lilli Tagger, the 17-year-old East Tyrolean, made history by becoming the first Austrian to win a junior Grand Slam tournament at the French Open. Tagger won the junior competition without losing a set and clearly prevailed in the final against number eight seeded Brit Hannah Klugman 6:2, 6:0. She achieved a remarkable triumph on the Court Simonne-Mathieu in Paris, which is reminiscent of her personal tennis dreams, as she herself emphasizes: “It is a dream for me and I am proud to have written tennis history for Austria.”

Jürgen Melzer, the ÖTV sports director, praised Tagger as a “complete tennis player”. Alluding to his own success as junior Wimbledon champion in 1999, he said Tagger's victory could open significant doors. Tagger's assistant coach, Lorenzo Frigerio, particularly highlighted the improvement in her serve. Tagger has been training at Francesca Schiavone's academy in Varese since October 2023 and has developed greatly in recent years, both athletically and in terms of popularity.

On the way to the professionals

In the second part of the season, the talented Austrian will focus on WTA tournaments. Her goal is to compete in major tournaments next year as she continues to improve her game. Before her triumph in Paris, she had already won her first ITF tournament at the end of March and only had to make it to world number 39 in qualifying for a WTA 1000 tournament in Miami. Sara Sorribes admit defeat.

Tagger has made a name for herself in the tennis community by becoming the first Austrian since Tamira Paszek to reach the junior final at a Grand Slam. Before her, prominent tennis players such as Thomas Muster and Dominic Thiem achieved similar success in the youth sector in recent decades. Your next destination? Participation in the junior competition in Wimbledon, where she wants to prepare optimally.

Promising future

In addition to her athletic talent, Tagger also shows commitment to her personal development. She now speaks Italian well, which underlines her connection to the Italian tennis academy. Barbara Schett-Eagle, the former world number 7, has praised Tagger's style of play and her presence on the court. At 1.85 m tall, she has both physical and technical advantages that can take her further in the world of tennis.

Overall, Lilli Tagger is only at the beginning of her career, but has already raised many hopes for a bright future in tennis thanks to her impressive victory at the French Open. It remains to be seen what further successes she will achieve on her sporting journey.