Young Tennis Stars Debut with Upset Wins in WTA Events

JIUJIANG, China — Seventeen-year-olds Lilli Tagger and Mia Pohankova are gaining attention early in their professional tennis careers. Both players made headlines this week with their impressive first-round victories in the WTA main draw, following successful junior campaigns.

Pohankova captured her first ITF title last October in Slovakia, while Austria’s Tagger won her first pro title in Spain this April. Interestingly, Tagger’s title victory included defeating promising player Lois Boisson, and she went on to win the French Open girls’ singles title without dropping a set. One month later, Pohankova mirrored this achievement at Wimbledon, also winning the girls’ singles championship while unseeded.

This week marked their debuts at the WTA level, as Tagger and Pohankova entered the tournaments in Jiujiang and Chennai, respectively, via wild cards. Tagger secured a win against China’s Zhu Chenting, while Pohankova defeated former Top 100 player Nao Hibino to advance to the second round.

In an exciting development, Tagger achieved her first career Top 100 win on Wednesday by defeating world No. 89 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets. “It was an amazing match,” she said afterwards. “I had a lot of fun out there. I still can’t believe I won in the end, but I’m super happy with my performance and I can’t wait for the next match.”

Tagger’s success adds to her growing reputation, especially due to her one-handed backhand, which has drawn comparisons to that of her coach, Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion. Currently, she is one of only eight women in the top 300 of the PIF WTA Rankings with that unique playing style, boasting a solid record of 32 wins and 8 losses this season.

Pohankova has also made impressive progress this season, reaching the girls’ doubles semifinals at the French Open alongside Tagger. With an 8-4 record overall in 2025 and notable victories over top 200 players, she aims to exceed her career-best ranking of No. 394.

As both players continue their journeys on the WTA Tour, they’re looking forward to building on their recent successes. “The tournament is amazing,” Tagger remarked. “I’m really, really happy I get the chance to play the main draw here.”

With both players in top form, fans can look forward to more thrilling performances from these young talents.