The German number one has big plans for the future – and might even leave her home country to achieve them.
A few weeks after breaking into the top 100 in the world rankings, tennis hopeful Eva Lys has big goals for the future. “I know that I definitely want to aim for the top 50 or even top 30 at some point,” the 23-year-old told the Hamburger Abendblatt: ”I’ve proven often enough in matches against the players ranked in that area that this is possible.”
Lys caused a sensation at the Australian Open in January when she advanced to the round of 16 as a lucky loser after losing in qualifying. Since the end of February, the current world number 76 has been the German number one in women’s tennis. She has also performed well since her surprise victory in Melbourne – but in Miami she was knocked out in the final round of qualifying and must now hope to get into the main draw as a lucky loser again.
Her primary goal this year is not purely sporting, explained Lys, but “to stay healthy and injury-free, which I have rarely managed in recent years”. The Hamburg native suffers from an autoimmune rheumatic disease (spondyloarthritis), which was diagnosed a few years ago: “I would love to play every week, but I have to remember that my body needs a break once in a while and can’t overdo it,” said Lys.
Her illness is also the reason why Lys will probably leave her North German home in the medium term with a heavy heart. “I have toyed with the idea again and again in recent years. So far, I have never been able to get good preparation in Germany, especially in Hamburg. Simply because of the weather, I always got sick, was constantly cold because I am very susceptible to it due to my weak immune system,” she said. ”Since my family is also my team, it would of course be important for them to come with me. Of course, there are still a few points to be clarified.”
Lys and the German team will face the Netherlands (April 10) and Great Britain (April 11) in the Billie Jean King Cup in The Hague in a few weeks.
