When Eva Lys was interviewed on the court, she was briefly speechless at what she is achieving on the tennis court these days. As soon as she leaves the square, she is immediately clear and eloquent again, the Ukraine war is omnipresent: “It takes a toll and it’s a topic that we deal with every day”. Lys has been talking about it publicly for weeks. Among other things, she had criticized Russian tennis players for their disrespectful behavior during a tournament. Some of them had demonstratively put on a tracksuit in Russian colors and made fun of them.
Lys: “The least I can do!”
The fact that the statements of a 20-year-old tennis talent found such recognition surprised her at first, but has long since become an incentive: “If I can help at least one person with my words, I will use it. […] It’s the least I can do.”
Clear demand on the WTA
Unlike in other sports, Russian and Belarusian tennis players are not excluded from tournaments. Lys accepted this for the individual sport of tennis. Nevertheless, she also sent clear words to the women’s professional organization WTA. She wishes that the WTA would ask the Russian players to position themselves clearly.
And then the tennis player in her allowed herself another look at the Stuttgart tournament: “I’m very grateful that I have such a sport in my life.” The next highlight is imminent in Stuttgart, the duel with the world number one Iga Swiatek from Poland. The emotional roller coaster ride continues for Eva Lys.
Source: SWR