"This is the week I've been working for ages": Eva Lys opens up about 'nicest week' of her life after exit from Australian Open

Germany’s Eva Lys has opened up about her exceptional run at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old’s journey in the first Grand Slam of the year came to an end on Monday as she lost to reigning world number two Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the fourth round in straight sets with a score of 6-0, 6-1.

Despite not making it to the quarterfinals, Lys had an impressive run because she started from the second round of the qualifying stage. Interestingly, she lost in the second round of the qualifying stage to Destanee Aiava but still cemented her spot in the next round after an injury to one of the qualifying players. She won three straight matches before losing to a five-time Grand Slam winner. It was Lys’ deepest run in any Grand Slam.

Talking to the media after the match, the Kyiv-born youngster stated that it was the ‘nicest week’ of her life. "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," she said. "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.”

Lys further went on to talk about difficult moments in her young tennis career and opened up about having deep conversations with her parents where she asked when her time will finally come. "I've had a lot of nights where I was actually talking to my parents, often with tears, asking, 'When will the time come?’,” she said. "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."