“It's no secret that it is a great publicity stunt to attract more attention to tennis”: Eva Lys claims that Kyrgios and Sabalenka are “the perfect match” for the Battle of the Sexes

Eva Lys gave a recent interview after finishing the best season of her budding career as World No. 40—making her the new German No. 1 at year-end. The 23-year-old had a breakthrough season, putting her name on the map as a player for the top stars to watch out for.

The German had some notable performances during the year, such as her appearance in the fourth round of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals in Beijing. Lys showed consistency in the big tournaments, finishing the year with a 10-7 record in WTA 1000 tournaments and 6-4 in Grand Slam main draws. The win in Beijing against Elena Rybakina marked her first victory against a top-10 player—precisely a few weeks before Rybakina went on an 11-match winning streak and claimed titles at the Ningbo Open and WTA Finals.

One of the topics the German star discussed was the talked-about Battle of the Sexes between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios, which has generated some criticism in the tennis world. The German acknowledged it is a controversial topic, but that the Belarusian World No. 1 is a great ambassador for women's tennis. "I have mixed feelings about it, but overall, I think Aryna Sabalenka is very good for women's tennis,” she said in an interview with Sport 1. “She pushes boundaries and has unusual moments in this sport.”

“It is no secret that it is a great publicity stunt to attract more attention to tennis. With whom else could something like this be achieved? With Nick Kyrgios, of course. I think they are the perfect match. You have to take it with a grain of salt,” added the World No. 40. “Tennis is still taken too seriously. You see matches like this in all other sports that are not taken so seriously. We will have to wait and see what the reactions are. I can't say if it will be great for the sport or controversial, but it is a start to popularize it in some way.”

If Lys sounded relaxed discussing identity and entertainment, her tone sharpened noticeably when the calendar came up. “The season was incredibly long. You can see it in all the players,” she said. “We have so many injuries, and I don’t want to use the word burnout, but we have many players who simply can’t continue, who don’t have the mental capacity because it’s just too much.”

Lys outlined the daily reality behind the scenes. “Nowadays, we don’t just play tennis. When we’re at tournaments, we have commitments, a lot of press appointments, physiotherapy, and we train eight hours a day. If you don’t rest, you reach your limit,” she said. “I feel it too, even though I’ve had to miss one or two tournaments for health reasons.”

The German player pointed to structural issues. “In all other sports, there’s a good pre-season where nothing happens. In tennis, it’s far too short,” Lys explained. “We have two weeks to take a holiday. Then we go back into pre-season, and by mid-December we’re off to Australia. Two-week events are incredibly demanding. As a result, there are fewer opportunities for other tournaments.”

Lys did not pretend the solution is simple. “This is already being discussed with the WTA,” she said. “I could talk about this topic for four hours because it affects almost every player.” In a sport where the 2025 WTA calendar spans more than ten months, her words reflect a concern shared quietly across the locker room—now voiced clearly, and on the record.

Lys has never felt the need to justify her place on the WTA Tour, even when physical comparisons arise. Recently, her friend Marta Kostyuk spoke openly about the advantages and disadvantages of height in modern tennis, sparking a broader conversation. Asked whether standing at 1.65 metres ever makes her feel at a disadvantage, Lys delivered a response that reflected self-awareness rather than insecurity.

“I wouldn’t consider myself disadvantaged. Every height has its advantages and disadvantages,” Lys said. “Of course, height is perfect for serving in this sport, and playing against someone like Rybakina is an incredible challenge. Coco Gauff also serves very well regularly, although she has her ups and downs sometimes. Anisimova also serves very well.”

Rather than framing height as a weakness, Lys focuses on what it demands tactically. “What makes them special is that they’re a bit taller than me,” she continued. “But I’ve never seen that as a weakness because I always try to focus on my strengths, which taller players might not have. For me, it’s important to do everything possible to get the most out of the data I have.”