Eva Lys talks career breakthrough, stalking threats at Billie Jean King Cup Play-Offs

Germany opened their Billie Jean King Cup Play-Offs campaign in Ismaning with a disappointing 2–1 defeat to Turkey on Friday. While Ella Seidel gave the hosts a promising start by winning the opening singles rubber, the momentum shifted as German No. 1 Eva Lys fell in three sets to her close friend Zeynep Sönmez.

Read more: Lys waves German flag for Billie Jean King Cup Play-Offs

With the tie level at 1–1, everything came down to the decisive doubles, but Jule Niemeier and Anna-Lena Friedsam were unable to clinch the final point, allowing Turkey to seal a surprise victory on German soil.

Lys struggles against Sönmez

Sönmez, 23, produced a composed and proactive performance, frequently attacking the net and breaking Lys’ serve eight times to secure a 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 win and a crucial point for Turkey.

Lys, who struggled to find her rhythm on the indoor hard court, was visibly disappointed afterward but gave full credit to her opponent. “I am really disappointed, but I fought until the end. Zeynep is a great player and was the more dominant player on court today. I couldn't really find my game, although I won the second set. She was very powerful in the third set and deserved it. She was the better player today,” she said.

Lys added that the abrupt surface change played a role in her difficulties. “I spent the last two months in Asia playing on very slow surfaces. Over the past few days here I’ve felt very comfortable, but this is one of the fastest hard courts I’ve played on in recent months. Normally I like that, but today I couldn’t quite find my timing in the match. I had to search for my rhythm the entire time, and I never really managed to get into it.”

Leading Team Germany

Asked about the broader pressure of leading the national team, Lys acknowledged that her new status is still something she is adjusting to. “Of course, I think about it. On tour or even here within the team, I’m still trying to find my place. I’ve gained a lot of confidence after this year, but it’s still an unfamiliar situation in which I put more pressure on myself than I should, because I want to live up to that position," she explained.

"Within the team I get support from all the girls. You don’t really notice it there. When we go out on court, we all give our best. I have a lot of trust in the players we brought with us. They’re all very dangerous, and I see myself as one of them.”

Breakthrough season

Despite Saturday’s defeat, Eva Lys, who was born in the Ukraine, remains the emotional and sporting anchor of the German team—a role she has grown into rapidly during a remarkable 2025 season. At just 23 years old, the Hamburg resident has climbed to a career-high ranking of World No. 40 and secured her position as Germany’s top-ranked player.

It’s certainly a milestone in many careers—and to be able to say that I’ve already reached it and now finish the year in this position as well, is very, very special to me. Eva Lys on finishing 2025 as German No. 1.

“It’s still an unbelievable feeling for me to this day,” Lys said earlier this week. “It’s certainly a milestone in many careers—and to be able to say that I’ve already reached it and now finish the year in this position as well, is very, very special to me.”

Her rise has been anything but straightforward. Lys began the season ranked World No. 130 but surged up the standings thanks to consistent performances, including quarterfinal runs in Cleveland and at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, as well as reaching the last 16 at the Australian Open. Nicknamed “Lucky Lys” after her breakout run in Melbourne, she insists her progress had far more to do with hard work than luck. Her game and mentality sharpened throughout the year—and crucially, she managed to stay healthy despite living with a chronic rheumatic condition.

Goal: Cracking the Top 30

After Ismaning, Lys will take a short break in the mountains before returning to intense training. She believes she still has “a lot of room for improvement” in her strokes, athleticism and mental toughness. The goals ahead are clear: “Now that I’ve broken into the Top 40, I want to reach the Top 30 and be seeded at the Grand Slams.”

This weekend marks her first Billie Jean King Cup appearance since 2023. Although she has been nominated several times, including for the 2024 Qualifiers, the 2024 Finals in Malaga, and this year’s April Qualifiers—she has not contested a match since her debut year.

Threatened by stalkers

Off the court, Lys has confronted challenges far more unsettling than those on the match court.

In a recent interview with Germany’s weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”, she spoke candidly about threats, hate messages and even stalking. “I’ve recently had to deal with stalkers who managed to get hold of the addresses of practice sites, hotels and even my room numbers,” she said. “They were apparently obsessed with me. That crossed every possible line.”

Together with the WTA, she and her team have worked to keep these individuals away from tournaments and practice facility—though, as Lys noted, “even these security measures have their limits.”

Nonetheless, Lys continues to push forward—ambitious, grounded and determined. And despite the disappointment of Friday’s loss, she remains one of Germany’s greatest assets in Ismaning, both for what she has already achieved and for the even greater heights she believes she can still reach.