MELBOURNE: “Lucky loser” Eva Lys reflected on “the nicest week in my life” as her historic Australian Open run came to a shuddering halt against Iga Swiatek on Monday.
The German ranked 128 in the world was crushed 6-0, 6-1 in just an hour in Melbourne by the second seed from Poland.
Despite the heavy defeat, Ukraine-born Lys said it had been an Australian Open to savour, having become the first women’s “lucky loser” to reach the fourth round since the event moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.
“It’s definitely I think the nicest week I’ve had in my life just because it wasn’t really only about the result, but also about the whole story,” said Lys.
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It has been a whirlwind and breakthrough Grand Slam for the 23-year-old.
She lost in the final round of qualifying in Melbourne, her hopes of making the first major of the year seemingly over.
But she hung about in case another player dropped out and 13th seed Anna Kalinskaya did just that, giving Lys a lifeline.
She said she had just 10 minutes’ warning before defeating home player Kimberly Birrell in straight sets in the first round, before winning twice more.
“Getting in as a lucky loser last minute on the last day where it was possible, changing the flights, winning first time, winning second time, making it to top 100, I mean, this is the week I’ve been working for ages,” she said.
Lys admitted she had despaired in the past about where her tennis career was going.
“I’ve had a lot of nights where I was actually talking to my parents, often with tears, asking, ‘When will the time come?’
“Because I know I have the potential, but sometimes I was the only person that’s really standing in my own way.
“Everything just came down to this week where on one side it’s definitely the tennis I played, but also it was the luck in the beginning.
“It was just the momentum that made it so special. So I’m definitely enjoying every second I had here.”
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