18-year-old Lilli Tagger wins maiden WTA title with victory over Daria Snigur in Prague

Eighteen-year-old Lilli Tagger has secured her first career WTA title at the Livesport Prague Open. Tagger defeated Daria Snigur in the final, finishing the match with a 7-6(3), 6-2 scoreline. Her win marks a significant milestone, as she is the first player born in 2008 to claim a title on the professional tour.

The final was a hard-fought battle that lasted one hour and 30 minutes. After a slow start where she trailed 2-5 in the first set, Tagger found her rhythm. She successfully broke back and took control of the match through a tiebreak. From that point, she dominated the second set to close out the win.

Following this victory, Tagger will reach a career-high ranking of 45th in the world. She is currently the youngest player ranked inside the top 50. Her game features a distinctive single-handed backhand, which is a rarity among the current top 100 players. She utilized this weapon effectively throughout the tournament, hitting nine aces in the final alone.

In her post-match comments, Tagger noted that she felt nervous early on but remained focused on the task. She credited her ability to stay disciplined after the initial deficit for the comeback. This win signals her arrival on the main stage of professional tennis as she continues to climb the world rankings.