Eva Lys rewrites history: First lucky loser to reach Aussie Open Round of 16

Eva Lys has become one of the standout stories of the Australian Open's first week. The German player initially came to Melbourne for the qualifiers but entered the main draw at the last minute due to Anna Kalinskaya's withdrawal.

Lys had competed in the Melbourne qualifiers, securing wins over Hanne Vandewinkel and Arina Rodionova before losing in the final qualifying round to local player Destanee Aiava. Despite the setback, she stayed in Melbourne and has delivered an impressive performance at the Happy Slam, reaching the fourth round—her best Grand Slam result to date.

Lys’ fairytale run continues

The 23-year-old had only one Grand Slam win to her name before this tournament, which came at the 2023 US Open. Until now, all her main draw appearances had been in Grand Slams. However, with the points earned this week, she is likely to secure direct entries into future majors, especially if she maintains her current level of play.

Read also

Lucky Loser Eva Lys continues dream Australian Open run: From late replacement to second week

Born in Ukraine and based in Hamburg since the age of two, Lys has defeated Kimberly Birrell (No. 101), Varvara Gracheva (No. 69), and Jaqueline Cristian (No. 82) en route to the tournament's second week. She has made history as the first lucky loser to reach the Australian Open Round of 16 in the Open Era.

Only five other players have achieved this feat at Grand Slam tournaments, most of them at the French Open: Hana Strachonova (Roland Garros 1980), Dana Gilbert (Roland Garros 1982), Nicole Muns-Jagerman (Roland Garros 1988), María José Gaidano (US Open 1993), and Elina Avanesyan (Roland Garros 2023).

Read also

Tournament Centre Australian Open 2025: Schedule, results, Prize Money and TV Guide

Currently ranked World No. 123, Lys has accumulated $798,163 in career prize money. Just this week in Melbourne, she has already secured $420,000—more than half of her career total earnings. She is also set to break into the top 100 for the first time, reaching No. 92 in the live rankings.

Lys will face the biggest match of her career this Sunday against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who has been dominant in Melbourne, most recently defeating Emma Raducanu. While Swiatek seeks her sixth Grand Slam title, Lys, with nothing to lose, aims to deliver another surprise at the Australian Open.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe