In Tennis, sometimes, a single point can change everything. That’s exactly what happened to Eva Lys, World No. 40, during her match against Madison Keys at the 2025 Cincinnati Open on August 9. In the third set, Eva even served for the game and had two match points, but Keys saved them both and won 1‑6, 6‑3, 7‑6(1). Eva lost, just a point away from victory. And that defeat affected her deeply.

On a recent episode of the Tennis Insider Club podcast, Eva Lys opened up about the mental challenges she faces in the sport. She revealed how losing can affect her deeply. “If I lose matches, I am depressed. Like if especially you’re depressed.” She recalled her loss to Madison Keys at the 2025 Cincinnati Open as an example of how even a few points can weigh heavily on her.

Eva admitted that the pressure can make it hard to sleep after a tough match.

“No one, no one hurts with match points, so I’m not sleeping that night. Yeah. Normal.” But she didn’t face the restless nights alone.

She emphasized the help she gets from her family and described how her parents support her in coping.

“So it’s like my parents are taking me and they’re telling me, I don’t know, go shopping or go breathe or go for a walk. It’s like you just have to get your mind off things and it’s a reality. I feel like I go crazy if I don’t do at least something outside the court.” Despite that support, being a 23-year-old with rising expectations adds its own challenges.

Eva Lys described herself as “a very sensitive person. I’m very emotional.” The expectations surrounding her performance only add to the pressure, making it hard to enjoy her successes without worry.

Yet, her rise in 2025 was impressive.

Starting the year ranked 131st in the PIF WTA Rankings, she broke into the Top 100 and then the Top 50, playing the main draw of every Grand Slam for the first time. She ended the year ranked 40th with 34 victories, including a trip to the Australian Open’s fourth round and a quarterfinal appearance in Beijing.

But this achievement hasn’t always been effortless. Only five years ago, she had a major health scare that almost ended her career.

Eva Lys overcomes a health scare to rise as a tennis star

The German star’s major setback was her serious autoimmune condition. In 2020, Eva Lys was diagnosed with spondyloarthritis, a condition that made her learn how to balance her health while chasing her dreams in professional tennis. And understanding the diagnosis wasn’t easy.

“It took a while for me because I had a variety of symptoms, but they didn’t come at the same time, so we didn’t really know,” she shared. Her doctor in Hamburg, who has been there since she was 10, suspected the condition after evaluating her health issues. But at first, Eva found it hard to believe.

“As soon as I heard it, I was just laughing about it. I’m like, Okay, I’m pretty young, I don’t think it’s going to be me.” Coming to terms with reality took time.

The first few weeks after the diagnosis were tough. Lys experienced her worst symptoms during that period and couldn’t even get on the court. But getting an official diagnosis helped her figure out how to manage her condition.

“I think the diagnosis was really important for me just to know what to do to get back on court… The doctors told me this is not going to keep me from being No. 1 if treated right.” And it marked the beginning of a new approach to her career.

Family and friend support played a vital role. Gradually, Eva learnt to listen to her body and to practice and rest.

“We’re in 2025. I would have said it is the first year I can even say that I know how to go about it, what I can do, and when I have to step back and rest,” she revealed.  

All the hard work started to pay off on the court.

Eva has advanced through the ranks since she started playing tennis at the age of five, thanks to the guidance of her father, Vladimir Lys, a coach in Hamburg. She won 34 games and lost 24 in 2025, but even these numbers don’t give the whole picture.

Beyond the victories and defeats, Eva truly shows us the human side of athletes – the challenges and the fortitude required to persevere in the face of difficult circumstances.