Tagger Outduels Krejcikova in Thriller to Reach Prague Final – Tennis Now

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, July 25, 2026
Photograph credit score: Owen Hammond/Nur Photograph/Getty

Fearless first-strike tennis powered Lilli Tagger by a dramatic tiebreaker end into the Prague ultimate.

The 18-year-old Tagger charged by six of the final seven factors edging dwelling hero Barbora Krejcikova 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(4) to battle into her second profession ultimate on the Livesport Prague Open as we speak.

World No. 74 Tagger rises up 22 spots within the rankings to a new career-high of No. 52 in the WTA Live Rankings.

Primarily based on this efficiency of energy and poise, the Austrian teenager is heading for even increased floor.

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The 2010 Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, who’s Tagger’s coach, broke into a large grin and pointed at her cost after a pulsating two hour, 50-minute triumph that was a take a look at of stamina and nerves. Like her coach, Tagger whipped some wondrous one-handed backhand strikes when she wanted them to attain one among her largest profession victories.

Tagger will play for her maiden WTA title tomorrow when she takes on Daria Snigur within the ultimate.

The eighth-seeded Snigur saved seven of 10 break factors stopping 19-year-old Prague native Tereza Valentova 7-6(4), 6-3 in as we speak’s first semifinal.

Eleven Czech lady have been within the singles discipline when the event started and Prague followers have been hoping for an all-Czech ultimate when the day’s play started.

Tagger spoiled the prospect of a seventh Czech champion within the final 12 years scoring her third profession High 50 victory.

Empowered by her run to the Athens title final weekend, Krejcikova rode an eight-match successful streak into this semifinal.

Displaying her courtroom craft and savvy shot choice, Krejcikova rallied from 3-5 down within the opening set.

3 times, Tagger was two factors from taking the opening set, however the teenager bumped into stiff resistance from the Czech.

The 2021 Prague champion broke again when Tagger served for the set then threw down a robust maintain at 15 for a 6-5 lead. Tagger aced her manner into the first-set tiebreaker.

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Even at 4-all, Krejcikova thumped a biting serve down the T, then adopted with three incredible forcing volleys to earn set factors at 6-4. On her second set level, Krejcikova coaxed a forehand error to steal a set wherein Tagger outplayed her for stretches.

Taking part in with taping wrapping her proper thigh, Tagger seemed brisker and extra energized because the second set progressed.

Lashing heavy strikes down the road, Tagger punished the two-time Grand Slam champion rampaging by 16 of the final 19 factors of the second set.

When Krejcikova pasted a forehand into the center of the online, Tagger closed the second set on her second set level.

The 18-year-old Austrian pressured a 3rd set after one hour, 34 minutes of play

Staring down triple break  level, Krejcikova dug in with defiance denying 4 break  factors in all in a fierce maintain for 3-2.

Tagger stopped her three-game slide holding to stage after six video games.

Getting into her strike, Tagger blistered a backhand winner down the road to stage the decider, 4-all.

Although she seemed the wearier of the 2 semifinalists, Krejcikova cracked an ace and cranked a forehand winner behind the Austrian in a assured maintain for 6-5.

Down 1-3 within the third-set tiebreaker, a daring Tagger utterly flipped the script blasting an excellent backhand return winner down the road for the mini-break.

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That strike had ramifications as Krejcikova crumbled committing a few errors earlier than Tagger torched her twelfth ace for match factors at 6-4.

Krejcikova netted one ultimate backhand as Tagger closed in two hours, 50 minutes.