Rare one-handed duel highlights Jiujiang semifinals
In the Jiangxi Open’s tightening bracket, Viktorija Golubic’s seasoned grit meets Lilli Tagger’s bold debut, promising a semifinal where backhand artistry and mental edges collide on China’s hard courts.
In the late October warmth of Jiujiang, the Jiangxi Open semifinals frame a captivating clash of one-handed backhands, as defending champion Viktorija Golubic confronts 17-year-old wildcard Lilli Tagger. This matchup, rare on a tour dominated by two-handers, blends tactical precision with the psychological weight of expectations, all on hard courts that reward low skids and quick redirects. Golubic’s title defense gains momentum after her quarterfinal recovery, while Tagger’s set-perfect run underscores her rapid rise, setting up a contest alive with strategic depth and youthful fire.
Golubic rallies through psychological grind
The No. 2 seed dug deep against No. 5 Yulia Putintseva, erasing a 5-1 first-set deficit to secure victory in a match heavy on baseline probing and pattern shifts. Crosscourt exchanges stretched rallies, but Golubic’s inside-out forehands and underspin slices disrupted rhythm, turning defense into pressure points that forced errors. At 33, she embodies resilience on these medium-paced surfaces, where her one-handed backhand’s directional bite conserves energy for extended points.
She described the encounter as a very strategic, psychological battle, her composure under duress fueling a comeback that echoed her season’s steady climb. As the youngest of only two Top 100 players wielding the one-hander—the other is 38-year-old Tatjana Maria—Golubic views this semifinal as a chance to mentor through competition, her experience poised to test Tagger’s unproven endurance.
“I’m really excited,” the Swiss player said after her win. “I love to see young players coming up playing the one-handed, it doesn’t happen so often. She’s a great player, she’s very young. I like the feel she has, and it’s going to be a tricky match. I have a bit more experience but we have in some ways a similar skillset. We practice sometimes and it’s just very exciting to have someone like this in the semis.”
Tagger’s debut blends flair and resolve
The Austrian teenager, reigning Roland Garros junior champion, advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Tamara Korpatsch, mixing fine volleys and drop shots with her signature backhand’s down-the-line lashes. On these hard courts, her flat groundstrokes skid low, enabling one–two combinations that dictate tempo and keep opponents off-balance. Yet to drop a set in her WTA main-draw debut, Tagger’s poise shone in a 23-stroke rally climaxing the match, where an overturned net-cord call demanded extra match points before triumph.
Her 2025 pro record stands at 33-8, capped by three ITF titles—including one over Lois Boisson months before the French player’s major semifinal—and a first Top 100 victory here against Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Inspired by Roger Federer and coached by former Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, she channels classic elegance, her net approaches and inside-in backhands hinting at pro-level disruption against veterans like Golubic.
For the latest developments, check Jiujiang scores, draws, and order of play as the bracket intensifies.
Surface favors backhand’s tactical edge
The Jiangxi Open’s hard courts amplify the one-handed stroke’s versatility, with low bounces suiting Golubic’s crosscourt redirects and Tagger’s penetrating drives in prolonged exchanges. Expect probing returns to target second serves, forcing either player into defensive slices before aggressive inside-out counters flip momentum. Golubic’s depth variations could pin the teenager deep, but Tagger’s fearless volleys might exploit any hesitation, turning the semifinal into a geometry of angles and anticipation.
This duel carries broader resonance, spotlighting a fading art form amid the tour’s power trends, where mental fortitude decides as much as shot selection. As stadium lights flicker on, the air hums with the crowd’s growing investment, the winner poised to claim not just a spot in the final but a narrative of evolution in women’s tennis.
