Eva Lys is no longer in the singles draw at the Mutua Madrid Open, but that does nothing to diminish the impact of her time in Madrid. Quite the opposite, in fact. The German’s interview on Iguales, the tournament’s official podcast hosted by Jaime ‘Gravesen’ Leal, was a memorable one. The conversation went far beyond tennis. It was about her as a person. About her way of communicating, her sense of humour, her naturalness and her ability to turn a seemingly light-hearted chat into an accurate portrait of her personality.
Lys has recently become one of the most recognisable figures on tour, not just for what she does on court but also for how she presents herself off it. On social media, she posts memes, jokes, everyday moments and takes that make her more approachable to a generation thirsty for authenticity. On Iguales her attitude was no different. From the get-go, she was up for the challenge.
“I just want your goofy vibes”, Gravesen said at the start of the interview. Eva was more than happy to oblige. They touched on subjects like ‘Tyler, the Creator’, memes that are impossible to explain to a mother, dinners with Coco Gauff, croquettes, Spanish tortillas, clubs in Berlin, parmesan on a first date, and the importance of sharing dishes when eating out. “If someone says they don’t want to share food, I leave”, she joked. Or maybe it wasn’t really a joke!
The tone of the interview explains part of her charm. Lys isn’t trying to be funny, she just is funny. When Gravesen asked her to explain one of her memes to someone from a different generation, her answer was simple: “You can’t.” She then provided a light-hearted explanation: “I post those memes because there’s a specific group of friends I want to have. People who don’t find that meme funny aren’t part of that group”, she concluded with a laugh.
Behind the humour is also an athlete who doesn’t shy away from tough days. When talking about rest, Lys admitted her ideal sleep is one of nine hours, but she’s learned to compete even when she can’t get any shut-eye because of the nerves. “I can win matches with three hours’ sleep”, she said. “Sometimes I get very nervous and I can’t sleep”. It was a comment made in jest, but it opens a window to a less glamorous reality of professional sport. Lys explains it in her own way, direct and drama-free: “On court, you need to put the ‘miserable’ aside, then when you go off court, you can be miserable again”.
Overstimulation was another topic in the conversation. Lys shared a curious hobby she has. When she needs to calm down, the German colours in alternate squares on graph paper, until she completes the page. “When the sheet is done, I’m really proud of myself”, she confessed. It may seem like a trivial story, but it fits well with her personality; chaotic, sensitive, and funny, but also requiring little rituals to ground herself.
Another amusing moment came as she recalled a ping-pong challenge in Miami. She explained that nobody from social media had told her they’d be counting the attempts. She just knew she had to get the ball in the cup, and she didn’t leave until she succeeded, even though it took her more than 70 tries: “I will not leave until I get what I want”, she told Gravesen, laughing. Competitive to the core and persistent until she achieves her goals.
The interview frequently returned to the subject of Madrid. The German admitted she loves Spain, enjoys the food and that Spanish tortilla is one of her favourite breakfasts: “It has eggs, protein, potatoes, it’s got everything”. She also declared herself a fan of tapas and the culture of sharing dishes, which fits perfectly with her way of relating to others.
In closing, Lys looked into the camera to address Spanish fans. “I love Madrid and I always get excited to play in Spain. The fans are nice, I always feel very welcome”, she assured. Afterwards, she asked for support for her match, which is now in the past, but her interview remains very much alive.
Eva Lys may have exited the singles draw at the Mutua Madrid Open, but her time on Iguales has left something much more permanent than the result of a match; confirmation of someone who is different, approachable and enjoys a deep connection with her audience. A player able to talk about pressure, fatigue, memes, Coco Gauff speaking Spanish to the French, and a wheel of parmesan on a first date all as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Don’t miss her interview, it gets our stamp of approval!