Seventeen-year-olds Lilli Tagger and Mia Pohankova are quickly making a name for themselves in professional tennis. Both players have shown impressive early success in their careers, achieving significant milestones in recent months.
Recent Achievements
- Mia Pohankova: Captured her first ITF title in Slovakia in October 2023.
- Lilli Tagger: Won her first professional title in Spain in April 2024, defeating breakout star Lois Boisson.
Tagger continued her rise by clinching the girls’ singles title at the 2025 French Open, entering the tournament unseeded and winning without losing a set. Pohankova mirrored this achievement one month later by capturing the girls’ singles crown at Wimbledon, also unseeded.
WTA Main Draw Debuts
This week marked their first appearances in the WTA main draw, with Tagger competing in Jiujiang and Pohankova in Chennai. Both athletes enjoyed successful debuts, each winning their opening matches.
- Tagger defeated China’s Zhu Chenting in Jiujiang.
- Pohankova ousted former Top 100 player Nao Hibino in Chennai.
They joined Australian Open girls’ singles champion Wakana Sonobe, who also won in her WTA debut earlier this year in Abu Dhabi.
Subsequent Victories and Rankings
In an impressive follow-up, Tagger achieved her first Top 100 win by defeating world No. 89 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets. Tagger expressed her excitement, stating, “I had a lot of fun out there. I still can’t believe I won in the end.”
Her coach, 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, has influenced Tagger’s unique one-handed backhand, which has garnered attention in the tennis community. Currently, Tagger holds a record of 32-8 this season and has secured three ITF titles, elevating her ranking into the top 200 for the first time.
Pohankova’s Performance
Pohankova has also shown strong performance this season, with an 8-4 record across all levels. She reached the girls’ doubles semifinals at the French Open alongside Tagger. Their close match against eventual champions Eva Bennemann and Sonja Zhenikhova highlighted their competitiveness.
Pohankova aspires to improve upon her career-best ranking of No. 394. With their recent victories, both players are eager to accumulate more wins on the WTA circuit in the days to come.
Looking Ahead
As they soak in the experience of the WTA Tour, both athletes remain focused on their goals. Tagger has expressed enthusiasm about playing in the main draw and hopes to explore the city in her spare time. Fans are eager to see if a maiden WTA title is on the horizon for either player.
