FIGUEIRA DA FOZ/STARNBERG, June 21, 2026
Darja Vidmanova crowned a breakthrough week at the Figueira da Foz Ladies Open by capturing her first WTA 125 title and sealing a place inside the Top 100 for the first time in her career.
The 23-year-old Czech, ranked No. 108 entering the tournament, triumphed at the 10th and largest edition of the event, which made its debut as a WTA 125 tournament and was held from June 14–21 at the Tennis Club da Figueira da Foz. In front of packed stands for the championship match, Vidmanova defeated Turkey’s Ayla Aksu 6-2, 6-3 in just 75 minutes to lift the biggest trophy of her career.
The victory was particularly significant for Vidmanova, who had fallen short in the final of the Women’s Indoor Oeiras Open earlier this year. Four months later, she returned to Portugal and completed her redemption story by claiming the eighth title of her professional career and her first in nearly a year.
Darja Vidmanova sails past Ayla Aksu 6-2, 6-3 to win the Figueira da Foz Ladies Open — her first WTA 125 title and the biggest of her career.
Perfect way to close the week after having already secured her top 100 debut. Doesn’t get better than this! pic.twitter.com/PzEQ3gsOv6
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) June 21, 2026
“I’m very happy. It’s my first WTA title and it means a lot,” Vidmanova said after the final. “It was a tough week and I’m happy to finish it with the trophy. I’m not very expressive, but I’m extremely happy. At the end of the match I was nervous, and when I won I felt more relief than anything because I managed to close it out.”
A day after mathematically securing her Top 100 debut, Vidmanova left Figueira da Foz projected at a career-high ranking of No. 90 in the world, earning direct entry opportunities into major tournaments, including her first Grand Slam main draw appearance at Wimbledon.
The third seed produced some of her best tennis of the week during the final rounds of the tournament. Her path to the title was far from straightforward, beginning with a demanding three-set victory over Portugal-based Ukrainian Angelina Voloshchuk in the opening round.
In the final, Vidmanova’s consistency proved decisive. Facing an opponent who was also seeking the biggest title of her career, the Czech controlled the key moments with intelligent variation, effective use of slice backhands and a dominant serve. While the scoreline appeared comfortable, she felt the contest was closer than the numbers suggested.
“I tried to focus on the things I’ve been working on, especially my serve and varying the rhythm,” she explained. “The wind helped me because I could use more slices and change the height of the ball. I think the match was more balanced than the score indicates, but in the important moments she made a few more mistakes.”
Just one year after completing her collegiate career at the University of Georgia, the Moscow-born player leaves Portugal with memories she says will stay with her forever.
“Winning my first WTA title and breaking into the Top 100 at the same time is incredibly special. I will always remember this week in Figueira da Foz.”
Vidmanova now heads to London with confidence and ambitious goals. In the short term, she hopes to secure direct entry into the US Open main draw, while her longer-term objective is to establish herself inside the Top 50 and compete regularly at the sport’s biggest events over the next year.
