Tagger hung in to dash former champion Semenistaja’s hopes.
In a contest between two champion players — Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja, the 2024 tournament winner here, and Austria’s Lilli Tagger — it was the 17-year-old who came through.
The 2025 French Open junior champion, seeded seventh, rallied to defeat second seed Semenistaja 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in a last eight clash in the L&T Mumbai Open 125K Series at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association here on Friday.
The 23-year-old Latvian made a strong opening, asserting control in the first set with a high percentage on serve and well-placed winners from the baseline. Semenistaja repeatedly unsettled Tagger with court-stretching groundstrokes and forehand volleys, forcing the teenager into long rallies.
Published – February 06, 2026 11:35 pm IST
