After Eva Lys was on her way home over a week ago, the Australian Open is now really over for her. Iga Swiatek was several sizes too big.
The German tennis player, who had failed in the qualification and was almost on the plane to Germany, but then entered the field as a lucky loser at short notice, had no chance in the round of 16. After just 59 minutes, a mercilessly good Swiatek made her entry into the quarter-finals perfect and ended the Lys fairytale in Melbourne with a score of 6:0, 6:1.
Lys with a lightning start – but then unlucky
The 23-year-old got off to a brilliant start. In the first game of the game, Lys secured two break chances, and then she was only two centimeters away. After a serve winner from Swiatek, the German got into the rally very well on her second opportunity and bravely went to win the point, but her backhand was just a little too long.
From that moment on, Swiatek was fully there and gave her opponent no chance, not only in the further course of this first service game. The former world number one won her first three games at the Australian Open in less than 3.5 hours and it quickly became apparent that she would be on the court for a short time against Lys. After 24 minutes, Swiatek made it 6-0.
Swiatek once again without mercy
Already in the run-up to the game, the Pole – who was… “not merciless” referred to, but showed exactly the opposite again – won 12.3 percent of her sets in Grand Slam tournaments with a score of 6:0, a more than outstanding rate. And she improved that a little against Lys.
But the qualifier didn’t struggle, she motivated herself after every point she won and obviously enjoyed being able to compete in this round of 16 of the Australian Open. And then Lys had her big moment of celebration. In the middle of the second set she managed to win the first game to make it 1:3, which not only made her very happy, but also the fans in the stands.
Lys struggles in vain to win the second game
However, it was the only moment in which Swiatek was left behind against her opponent. Although Lys still had four chances to win the game in her following service game when the score was 1:4, Swiatek ended her hope of doing so with strong hits from the baseline. Lys continued to fight for her point, encouraged herself and played great rallies, but couldn’t prevent the break after more than ten minutes.
A short time later Swiatek ended the match, she used her first match point and won the second set 6:1. While this is the end of an incredible journey for Lys, it continues for Swiatek after the painful third-round exit last year. In the quarterfinals, the 23-year-old will face Emma Navarro (USA) or Daria Kasatkina.