Lilli Tagger: a first WTA title and keeping the one-handed backhand alive

Since making history at Roland Garros in 2025 as the first Austrian to win a junior Grand Slam singles title, Lilli Tagger has embraced life on the WTA Tour. Joining Matt during her first visit to the China Open, the 18-year-old reflects on a breakthrough season that brought her first WTA title and a place in the world’s top 50. There’s also the story of the grandmother who introduced her to tennis, her love of skiing and the decision to trust her instincts with that striking one-handed backhand. With an AO main-draw debut ahead, Tagger shares what she’s learning in her transition to the upper echelon – and why she’s loving the journey.

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