Eva Lys came within striking distance of one of the biggest wins of her career at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, but ultimately fell to former world number one Naomi Osaka in three hard-fought sets. The 24-year-old German showed remarkable fight after dropping the first set, levelling the match by taking the second before Osaka regained control in the decider to win 4-6, 6-4, 3-6 in just over two hours.
A Promising Start and an Early Setback
Lys entered the contest brimming with confidence after her first-round victory against Great Britain's Katie Boulter, who sits at a career-high ranking of 60. The match began with both players holding serve comfortably, but Osaka's power and precision began to tell. The Japanese star, a four-time Grand Slam champion, used her heavy forehand to dictate rallies, breaking Lys in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. She consolidated the break with a love hold, then broke again for a 5-2 advantage.
However, Lys showed the resilience that has marked her career. She broke back immediately, saving three set points in the process, and held serve to close to 4-5. Yet Osaka remained composed, serving out the set with an ace to claim it 6-4. The first set statistic told a story: Osaka won 82% of her first-serve points, while Lys managed only 62%. Despite the deficit, Lys had proven she could trouble the former world number one.
Lys Levels the Match
In the second set, Lys adjusted her tactics. She began to stand deeper behind the baseline, absorbing Osaka's pace and redirecting the ball with greater depth. This strategy yielded immediate dividends: in the first game, Lys forced Osaka into a series of errors and broke to love. She consolidated for a 2-0 lead, turning the momentum in her favor.
Osaka, who has struggled with consistency in her post-pregnancy comeback, began to misfire. Her once-reliable serve became erratic, and she double-faulted multiple times. Lys seized the opportunity, moving Osaka around the court with a mix of angles and slices. The German held her serve impressively, winning 75% of her first-serve points in the set. She broke again in the seventh game to lead 5-2 and served for the set at 5-3. But Osaka, a fierce competitor, broke back to stay in the set at 5-4. Undeterred, Lys broke Osaka for a third time in the set to clinch it 6-4, sending the match to a decider.
Osaka's Class Decides the Third
The deciding set was a tense affair. Osaka, sensing the danger, elevated her game. She struck first, breaking Lys in the second game with a blistering cross-court winner. Lys broke back immediately, but her serve became a liability. In fact, Lys did not hold serve once in the entire third set – each time she served, she found herself broken.
Osaka, meanwhile, held her serve steadfastly, stepping up her first-serve percentage to 72%. She broke Lys again in the fourth game, then consolidated for a 4-1 lead. Lys refused to surrender, breaking back once more to reduce the deficit to 2-4. But it was too little, too late. Osaka held serve to love to go up 5-2, then broke Lys for the third time in the set to seal the match 6-3 on her first match point. The final point was a marathon rally of 22 strokes, ending with a forehand error from Lys. Osaka collapsed to her knees in relief.
Background on Eva Lys
Eva Lys, born in Hamburg in 2000, has been one of Germany's most promising tennis talents. She turned professional in 2018 and quickly rose through the ranks, reaching a career-high ranking of 95 in the world in 2023. Known for her fluid groundstrokes and tactical intelligence, Lys has claimed victories over several top-20 players, including a notable win over Belinda Bencic at the 2022 US Open. However, her progress was hindered by a serious knee injury sustained during the 2024 Australian Open. The injury required extended rehabilitation, and she only returned to the tour in March 2025. This match in Rome marked only her fifth tournament back, and her performance against Osaka suggests she is rediscovering her top form.
Naomi Osaka's Return
For Naomi Osaka, this victory was another step in her own comeback journey. The Japanese superstar, who gave birth to her daughter in July 2023, took a lengthy break from tennis. She returned to the WTA tour at the start of 2024 but endured a string of early exits. In 2025, she has shown flashes of her former brilliance, reaching the semifinals in Doha and the quarterfinals in Indian Wells. Her powerful serve and groundstrokes remain formidable weapons, but consistency has been elusive. Against Lys, she demonstrated that she can still outlast determined opponents in tense situations.
Other German Contingent
With Lys's exit, Laura Siegemund remains the only German woman left in the Rome draw. The 36-year-old veteran, a former top-30 player, was scheduled to face Ekaterina Alexandrova later that evening. Earlier in the tournament, Tamara Korpatsch lost in the first round, and Tatjana Maria was eliminated in the second round on Thursday. Siegemund, known for her crafty all-court game, will be the last hope for German fans in the singles competition.
Statistical Highlights and Match Analysis
According to match statistics, Osaka fired 10 aces and won 67% of her first-serve points, but she also committed 32 unforced errors. Lys, despite losing, had a positive winner-to-unforced-error ratio in the second set, finishing with 28 winners overall. The turning point was evident in the third set: Lys's first-serve percentage dropped to 52%, and she failed to hold serve even once. Osaka, on the other hand, increased her first-serve percentage and stepped into the court more aggressively.
The match was played on the Foro Italico's Campo Centrale, a venue known for its slow clay, which often neutralizes power hitters. However, Osaka adapted by using her slice backhand to change pace and her heavy topspin to push Lys behind the baseline. Lys, for her part, varied her returns and used the drop shot effectively at times, but her inability to win service games in the decider proved fatal.
For the German, this performance will be seen as a positive sign after a difficult period. She has now won her first main-draw match at a WTA 1000 event since her injury and pushed a former world number one to the brink. Her next tournament will be the French Open in Paris, where she will hope to qualify or gain a main-draw spot. Osaka, meanwhile, advances to the third round, where she will face either Madison Keys or Anhelina Kalinina. The win gives Osaka 65 ranking points and a chance to continue her climb back toward the top 20.
Source: MSN News