Anna Blinkova, the Russian known to many as the woman who survived and won the longest tiebreak ever played against Elena Rybakina, reminded the tennis world in Jiangxi that she’s more than just a trivia legend. Less known is her knack for thriving in finals — she captured her first WTA title at the Transylvania Open back in October 2022, and now, three years later, she’s done it again. With this victory, Blinkova becomes a two-time WTA champion, boasting a near perfect record of two wins in three finals.
Set 1 – From Total Chaos to Control
The opening set was a rollercoaster that might have rattled any lesser player. Both Blinkova and 17-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger began with back-to-back service wobbles — four straight breaks in the first four games. Tagger’s early aggression gave her chances, and she even won a marathon game to hold for 3–3, saving at least four labeled break points in a nerve-shredding marathon sequence of deuces.
By then, the Austrian had already showcased her trademark one-handed backhand — the very shot that McEnroe (whenever he happens to take notice, of course 😉) will soon label as the most beautiful in the world. It bears a striking resemblance to Justine Henin’s.
But Blinkova, ever the opportunist, recalibrated instantly. A clean love hold for 4–3 steadied her game, and the momentum flipped decisively. She broke Tagger again with relentless depth on return, held comfortably for 5–3, and then pounced one last time — breaking on her second set point to seal the opener, 6–3. What had begun as a messy exchange of nerves ended with the veteran asserting total command.
Blinkova vs Tagger – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Blinkova | Tagger |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.22 | 0.82 |
| Serve Rating | 199 | 161 |
| Aces | 0 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 3 | 3 |
| 1st Serve % | 72% (21/29) | 52% (24/46) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 67% (14/21) | 54% (13/24) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 13% (1/8) | 36% (8/22) |
| Break Points Saved | 67% (4/6) | 69% (9/13) |
| Service Games | 50% (2/4) | 20% (1/5) |
| Ace % | 0% | 4.3% |
| Double Fault % | 10.3% | 6.5% |
| Return Rating | 221 | 204 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 46% (11/24) | 33% (7/21) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 64% (14/22) | 88% (7/8) |
| Break Points Won | 31% (4/13) | 33% (2/6) |
| Return Games | 80% (4/5) | 50% (2/4) |
| Pressure Points | 42% (8/19) | 58% (11/19) |
| Service Points | 52% (15/29) | 41% (19/46) |
| Return Points | 59% (27/46) | 48% (14/29) |
| Total Points | 56% (42/75) | 44% (33/75) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 5 |
| Total Games | 67% (6/9) | 33% (3/9) |
| Max Games In A Row | 4 | 2 |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h56m | |
Set 2 – Blinkova Locks In, Tagger Runs Out of Road Again
If the first set was chaos, the second was calm precision. Blinkova’s serve turned impenetrable — she didn’t drop a single service game, saving all three break points she faced early on. Tagger fought bravely, holding firm through 3–3 and showing flashes of her fearless baseline striking that had carried her to her maiden WTA final.
But experience spoke loudest when the scoreboard tightened. Serving at 3–4, Tagger fought through a marathon of deuces, unable to convert five game points of her own before Blinkova finally seized her lone break point of the game — the decisive punch that made it 5–3. From there, the outcome felt inevitable. Blinkova served out the match with trademark composure, sealing victory on her second match point to close 6–3, 6–3.
It was a performance that reflected not just firepower, but hunger too — the mark of a player who’s learned how to win when it matters most.
Blinkova vs Tagger – Set Two Stats
| Statistic | Blinkova | Tagger |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.63 | 0.62 |
| Serve Rating | 315 | 257 |
| Aces | 0 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 63% (20/32) | 81% (26/32) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 75% (15/20) | 54% (14/26) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 77% (10/13) | 43% (3/7) |
| Break Points Saved | 100% (3/3) | 0% (0/1) |
| Service Games | 100% (5/5) | 75% (3/4) |
| Ace % | 0% | 12.5% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 0% |
| Return Rating | 228 | 48 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 46% (12/26) | 25% (5/20) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 57% (4/7) | 23% (3/13) |
| Break Points Won | 100% (1/1) | 0% (0/3) |
| Return Games | 25% (1/4) | 0% (0/5) |
| Pressure Points | 100% (4/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Service Points | 75% (24/32) | 59% (19/32) |
| Return Points | 41% (13/32) | 25% (8/32) |
| Total Points | 58% (37/64) | 42% (27/64) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 1 |
| Max Points In A Row | 6 | 4 |
| Total Games | 67% (6/9) | 33% (3/9) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 1 |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h46m | |
What’s next
For Lilli Tagger, this final marks the brightest moment yet of a breakout season. The teenager can leave Jiangxi with pride and a clear sense that her time is coming — she’s already proven she belongs on the big stage. And boy! That backhand. We can’t wait to see more from Schiavone’s disciple.
Anna Blinkova, meanwhile, will head into the off-season beaming. Two titles from two WTA finals tell their own story: this is a player finding her peak form, sharpening her edges, and heading into 2026 not as a survivor of long tiebreaks, but as a closer who thrives when the stakes are highest.