Viktorija ⁤Golubic, the defending champion at⁣ the Jiujiang tournament in China, suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the semifinals against 17-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger.⁤ Despite holding three match points, the 33-year-old Golubic (WTA ⁤ranked 53rd) ‍lost 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 to the world⁢ No.235.

Dramatic Turnaround

The match featured a remarkable shift in momentum. Golubic, ‌a Zurich resident and 2021 Olympic⁢ doubles silver medalist, appeared to be on⁤ the verge of​ victory while leading 5-4 in the decisive set, reaching 0/40 on Tagger’s serve. However, she was unable to convert, and ultimately lost 13 consecutive points as Tagger seized ⁤control.

Tagger’s Breakthrough Run

This semifinal marks a meaningful milestone ‌for Tagger, the ‍2025 ⁣Roland-Garros junior champion. It is indeed her first appearance in a ⁤main⁤ draw WTA tournament and ‌she will‍ now compete in her first ⁢WTA final. She is coached by former French Open champion Francesca schiavone.

Impact on Rankings

The loss is expected to negatively ‌impact⁣ Golubic’s WTA ranking,​ potentially ​dropping her approximately fifteen places.⁤ Despite this setback, Golubic remains a proven competitor on ‍the WTA circuit, having reached five finals ⁢and secured two ‌titles throughout ‌her career.

both players share a stylistic similarity, employing a one-handed backhand ‌- a relatively uncommon technique in the modern game.