AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2026

Eva Lys

Press Conference

S. CIRSTEA/E. Lys

3-6, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Eva, Sorana was obviously going to be a tough first-round opponent. What were some of the challenges playing her today?

EVA LYS: I mean, she was playing an amazing match. She was definitely playing a level that was pretty consistent, whereas I think I had too many ups and downs.

Came onto the match, felt pretty good. But I've been struggling a little bit with my knee since United Cup. It's nothing too serious, but I think I was at about 70%, which you definitely saw on my forehand.

Not trying to take this as an excuse. I feel like I still had a lot of chances I didn't really use. Yeah, big respect to Sorana. She was playing amazing.

Q. I want to ask about the knee. When did you start feeling it and how much do you think it swung the second set especially?

EVA LYS: You mean the match?

Q. Yeah, in the match.

EVA LYS: Yeah, I mean I started off pretty well. But for me it's the longer I play, the tougher it gets for me. I can't really push 100% from the knee, so I do compensate a lot.

And I feel like you could definitely see it on some forehands and the movement, especially running from left to the right.

Yeah, I mean, first set was great. I was very happy with it, but second and third set I was definitely struggling.

Q. Was it something that you came into the United Cup with, or the match against Iga? When did it start?

EVA LYS: It happened against Suzan Lamens first match. I think second set. There is a very beautiful video somewhere on Twitter. I hyperextended it unfortunately. And yeah, been struggling a little bit since then.

I mean, definitely tried everything. I mean at first I wasn't really sure whether it's going to be fine to play, so I was very, very happy that I could definitely go into the match. I knew I wasn't really at 100%, but tried everything I could.

And I'm happy it's nothing too serious, nothing I'm going to be out for a long time with, but something that needs a little bit of attention.

Q. Are you still planning to play doubles here?

EVA LYS: Yeah.

Q. So I guess just talking about the match today, you talked about how the knee kind of did hinder you a little bit, but you talked about ups and downs with your game. Can you elaborate more what those were and what you felt?

EVA LYS: I feel like especially in the second set I saw that Sorana definitely tried to play a little bit more aggressive and pushed me out of my area. I like to stand pretty close to the line.

I definitely wasn't the more aggressive player. It was her. I feel like it took me a while to really get my position back, which was way better. I had a slow start in the third set, but was fighting my way back. Definitely had a better position then.

I mean, I feel like end of third set could go both ways. She was playing amazing. I wasn't playing too bad. I feel like there were just, like, one or two points that decided the match. Yeah, she was definitely making the better decisions.