Key Takeaways
- Tagger arrived in Paris for her maiden Grand Slam main‑draw appearance, entering the tournament ranked a career‑best No. 91.
- She is being coached by former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who won the event in 2010 and was runner‑up the following year.
- Both players share a one‑handed backhand, a technical similarity that Tagger highlights as a unique advantage of working with Schiavone.
- Tagger values Schiavone’s holistic approach, noting that the veteran balances rigorous work with enjoyment of life and offers unexpected, insightful guidance.
- The partnership reflects a blend of rising talent and seasoned wisdom, aiming to translate Schiavone’s experience into Tagger’s breakthrough performance on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
Tagger touched down in Paris on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in her burgeoning tennis career. The Austrian player, hailing from the alpine town of Lienz, arrives at Roland Garros not only with excitement but also with a freshly minted career‑best ranking: No. 91 in the WTA standings. This positioning reflects a steady climb through the ITF and Challenger circuits, underscoring her readiness to test herself against the sport’s elite on the sport’s biggest stage. Making her debut in a Grand Slam main draw is a dream that many junior players chase for years, and for Tagger it represents both a validation of her hard work and a springboard for future aspirations.
Guiding Tagger through this unfamiliar terrain is none other than Francesca Schiavone, the Italian stalwart who etched her name into French Open history by capturing the title in 2010 and finishing as runner‑up in 2011. Schiavone’s game was built around a formidable one‑handed backhand—a shot that, despite being less common among modern baseliners, proved decisive in her triumph over Samantha Stosur in the 2010 final. The fact that Tagger also wields a one‑handed backhand creates an immediate technical rapport between coach and pupil. Tagger has openly acknowledged this coincidence, stating that having Schiavone by her side feels fortunate because the veteran “knows what’s happening to me” and can relate to the nuances of that particular stroke.
Beyond the shared technical foundation, Tagger emphasizes the philosophical and lifestyle dimensions of their partnership. She describes Schiavone’s counsel as sometimes surprising, yet invariably valuable: “The things she tells me, sometimes I don’t expect what she says.” This unpredictability, Tagger suggests, stems from Schiavone’s deep well of experience, which allows her to anticipate patterns and offer adjustments that a less seasoned coach might overlook. More importantly, Tagger admires how Schiavone manages to blend intense training with a balanced approach to life. “She knows when to work and when to enjoy life,” Tagger notes, highlighting a mindset that could prove crucial in coping with the physical and mental demands of a two‑week Grand Slam campaign.
The dynamic between the ascending Austrian and the seasoned Italian champion appears to be one of mutual respect and complementary strengths. Tagger brings youthful energy, a fresh perspective, and a hunger to break into the upper echelons of the sport. Schiavone contributes tactical acumen, mental fortitude honed through years of competing at the highest level, and a lived understanding of how to sustain peak performance without burning out. Their collaboration is not merely about refining a backhand or tweaking a serve; it encompasses a broader philosophy of athletic development that values recovery, joy, and long‑term growth.
As Tagger steps onto the iconic red clay of Roland Garros for her first main‑draw match, she does so with the backing of a coach who has not only conquered that very surface but also learned how to navigate the inevitable peaks and valleys of a professional tennis career. The combination of Tagger’s career‑best ranking, her technical affinity with Schiavone’s signature shot, and the veteran’s holistic mentorship creates a compelling narrative. Whether this partnership yields an immediate deep run or serves as a foundational stepping stone for future successes, it already exemplifies how the transfer of wisdom from past champions can help shape the next generation of tennis talent.