Tennis
Life-Changing Moment For Eva Lys, First AO ‘Lucky Loser’ To Reach 4th Round Since 1988

23-year-old German tennis player Eva Lys is living the dream as the first Australian Open lucky loser to reach the fourth round since 1988. Lys’s story begins like most lucky losers. She failed to make the main draw but needed to be ready to play on short notice if someone withdrew.
Lys stuck around Melbourne not knowing what to do with her time while her dad went home to work his job as a tennis coach. With ten minutes’ notice, upon Anna Kalinskaya’s withdrawal from the tournament shortly before her first match, Lys got her chance. What followed were wins against Kimberly Birrell, Varvara Gracheva, and Jaqueline Cristian.
What a dream week for Eva Lys!
She beats Jaqueline Cristian 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the 4th round of a Grand Slam for the 1st time.
Stepped in as a Lucky Loser after Kalinskaya withdrew minutes before her match.
Will debut in the top 100 at No. 91.
Faces Iga Swiatek next 👀 pic.twitter.com/pTc3f1VeoL
— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) January 18, 2025
On top of everything else, Eva Lys celebrated her 23rd birthday on January 12.
Eva Lys the Lucky Loser story
Faces Swiatek in R4
“It definitely doesn’t feel real for me right now. I don’t know when the realization will kick in. It’s definitely an amazing situation knowing the lucky loser I was…couple of days have changed my life”
🎥: Tennis Australia pic.twitter.com/NaojfLuKY0
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) January 19, 2025
She will face her biggest tennis challenge in the fourth round against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
Eva Lys vs. Iga Swiatek Head-to-Head
Lys and Swiatek played each other once in 2022 on the red clay at Stuttgart. Swiatek won the match 6-1, 6-1.
Swiatek has been virtually unbeatable on the clay so Lys can take comfort in knowing Swiatek is not quite as superior on the hardcourt. Lys will be playing in Rod Laver Arena for the first time.
With a capacity of 14,820 tennis fans, it will be her biggest stage. Keeping with her positive outlook, she does not seem daunted by the moment. Her best Grand Slam result was a second-round appearance at the 2023 US Open and last fall, she enjoyed her career high ranking of 104th.
The WTA talent is young and deep. Sometimes, it takes being a lucky loser to get a chance.
Will Eva Lys pull off the colossal upset over Iga Swiatek? We will find out soon enough. Their match is tentatively scheduled for 3 AM EST on January 20, 2025.