Teenager Lilli Tagger Stuns with Olympic Champion Errani in Paris Doubles Opener

"Sie hat mich gefragt, da sagt man nicht nein," Tagger said of the invitation from the five-time Grand Slam doubles champion.

Tagger, who turned 18 in February, approached the match with a relaxed attitude. "Da habe ich mir gedacht: okay, viel zu verteidigen haben wir nicht," she said with a laugh.

The experience of playing alongside a reigning Olympic gold medalist was not lost on the East Tyrolean. "Das war was Spezielles, das passiert nicht jeden Tag. Ich versuche, viel von ihr mitzunehmen," Tagger said.

Prize Money and Family Gifts

Errani is a clay-court specialist who reached the French Open singles final in 2012, two years after her compatriot Francesca Schiavone won the title. Her vast experience provided a steadying influence for the teenager on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

The win earned Tagger 14,500 euros in doubles prize money. Combined with the 87,000 euros she received for her first-round singles loss, her gross earnings in Paris have already surpassed 100,000 euros.

When asked about her plans for the windfall, Tagger was characteristically lighthearted. "Ich habe keine Ahnung, ich habe nicht nachgeschaut. Natürlich wird's vielleicht ein Geschenk für Geschwister oder Onkel geben," she said, joking in the direction of her uncle Alexander, who works as a journalist.

Looking Ahead to Grass

The French Open marks Tagger's debut at the clay-court major. Her run in doubles now offers her the chance to earn additional prize money and valuable ranking points.

Looking ahead, Tagger is set to make her debut at Wimbledon, which begins on June 29. She acknowledged the challenge of transitioning to grass, a surface on which she has very little experience.

"Am Rasen ist es sicher am schwierigsten, aber das gilt natürlich für alle, weil wir extrem wenige Turniere haben. Ich habe bis jetzt recht wenig auf Rasen gespielt," Tagger said.

Beyond Wimbledon, a potential appearance at the Austrian tournament in Kitzbühel remains undecided. "Ich weiß es noch nicht, Kitzbühel ist nach Wimbledon auf Sandplatz wieder, so weit haben wir noch nicht geplant. Natürlich würde es mich sehr freuen, noch einmal in Österreich zu spielen," she added.