Tagger and Pohankova turn junior glory into WTA momentum
Two 17-year-old phenoms, fresh off unseeded Grand Slam junior titles, storm through their pro debuts with upsets that hint at sustained breakthroughs on the big stage.
In the bustling courts of Jiujiang and Chennai, Lilli Tagger and Mia Pohankova are carving parallel paths from junior stardom to professional promise. The 17-year-olds, both unseeded champions at major junior events this year, have wasted no time in their WTA main-draw introductions, securing first-round victories that blend youthful flair with emerging maturity. Tagger’s Austrian precision and Pohankova’s Slovak tenacity echo across time zones, turning the pressure of prodigy labels into fuel for early triumphs.
Tagger’s debut unfolded on Tuesday against China’s Zhu Chenting, where her crosscourt forehands pinned the qualifier deep, leading to a composed 6-4, 6-3 win. Pohankova, meanwhile, navigated Chennai’s coastal winds to outlast former top-100 player Nao Hibino in straight sets, her serve-and-volley bursts disrupting the Japanese veteran’s defensive slices. These results place them alongside Wakana Sonobe, the Australian Open junior champion who notched her own WTA debut win earlier in Abu Dhabi.
“It was an amazing match,” Tagger 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. It was my first win against a top 100 player, which feels amazing. It was a lot of fun to play against her.”
Junior crowns sharpen pro instincts
Tagger’s flawless run at the 2025 French Open girls’ singles, where she dropped no sets en route to the title, built a foundation of unyielding focus now tested on Jiujiang’s hard courts. Her one-handed backhand, refined under coach Francesca Schiavone—the 2010 French Open champion—redirects pace with a low trajectory, one of just eight such strokes among the top 300 players. This season, she boasts a 32-8 record across levels, including three ITF titles, two at the W75 level, her two wins here propelling her into the live top 200 for the first time.
Pohankova mirrored that junior dominance a month later at Wimbledon, claiming the girls’ singles crown with the same resolute edge. Her lighter pro schedule—8-4 overall in 2025, with two ITF quarterfinals and two victories over top-200 opponents—amplifies each step, as she eyes surpassing her career-high No. 394 ranking. Their shared French Open girls’ doubles semifinal, lost in tight sets to Eva Bennemann and Sonja Zhenikhova, forged a bond that underscores mutual resilience amid the transition.
Upsets unlock tactical depth
Wednesday elevated Tagger’s debut, as she upset world No. 89 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets, her first top-100 victory blending one–two punch serves with down-the-line backhand winners. The Italian’s aggressive returns met a wall of varied depths, Tagger’s inside-out angles opening the court amid the crowd’s building energy. This scalp, layered on her clay-to-hard adaptations, reveals a mind attuned to pro rhythms, where junior poise tempers the tour’s intensity.
Pohankova’s Chennai breakthrough over Hibino turned on underspin slices that neutralized returns, forcing errors in prolonged rallies under the arena’s humid pulse. Her tactical variance—accelerating forehands to pull opponents wide before inside-in finishes—highlights efficient point construction, a hallmark of her grass-to-hard shift. Both teens, now with WTA wins under their belts, embody the rare blend of mental fortitude and strategic adjustment that sustains early hype.
Debut thrills hint at titles ahead
Soaking in the WTA atmosphere, Tagger reflects on the vibrant tournament scene in Jiujiang, eager to explore the city between matches while chasing deeper runs. Her growing achievements, from that breakout ITF win in Spain over Lois Boisson to these hardcourt statements, position her for sustained climbs. Pohankova, building on her first ITF title in Slovakia last October, savors the pro tour’s expanse, her doubles history with Tagger a quiet anchor against isolation.
“The tournament is amazing,” Tagger said. “I’m really, really happy I get the chance to play the main draw here. I haven’t seen much of the city yet, but maybe in the next few days, when I have time, I’ll go visit it a little bit.”
As they advance, the sync of their stories suggests more than fleeting success; with junior glory as a launchpad, Tagger and Pohankova could soon contest for maiden WTA titles, their paths converging in the tour’s relentless forward motion.
