For Porsche Friend Eva Lys, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is an extra special tournament. Speaking before her opening match in Stuttgart against Spain’s Paula Badosa on Tuesday evening, she said she felt “at home” in the Porsche Arena. As there are only few opportunities to play in Germany, the week in the Porsche Arena is something special. The conditions are additionally right up her street – indoor tournaments are generally to her liking and the clay in Stuttgart suits her game.
An important part of her style of play is standing close to the base line and Eva Lys sees it as being one of her biggest strengths. She said it is how she has always played and that she grew up on clay – all reasons why she feels happy on the surface. Practice sessions with top players like Coco Gauff are especially valuable because they help her to hone her timing and on-court position.
Pain-free back on court
The past months were occupied with recovering from the knee injury she suffered in her first match of the season in Sydney. Only when she was examined in Germany after the Australian Open did it become apparent just how serious the injury was as a tendon in the side of her knee was completely torn. Several weeks without tennis and an intensive rehab process ensued.
She is now all the more relieved at being able to go out on court without any pain. The matches in Miami and Charleston were consciously used as tests to see how the knee stood up to competitive tennis. “I’m so happy to be pain-free again,” she said. Even though she reckons it will take a few matches to get back to the same level as before, she sees herself as being on the right track.
Health before the Billie Jean King Cup
In this context, Eva Lys also explained why she pulled out of the Billie Jean King Cup. The decision was not an easy one to make as she is very proud to play for Germany. After Charleston, she however had her knee examined once again in Hamburg as she did not want to take any more risks so as to not endanger her prospects in the coming weeks and months. Her health in this situation is her top priority.
At the same time, she is convinced that she is already competitive enough for Stuttgart. She feels happy on the court, her shots are back and her movement is getting better every day. Now it is all about gaining consistency and confidence.
Porsche in tennis
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is the flagship of the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG‘s worldwide involvement in women’s tennis. First played in 1978, the Stuttgart WTA tournament stands for tradition and innovation, just like the Porsche brand. As the most loyal sponsor of women’s international tennis, Porsche has accompanied the WTA’s oldest indoor event right from the start. Porsche has also been a premium partner of the “Deutsche Tennis Bund” (DTB – German Tennis Association) since 2012 and is committed to fostering up-and-coming players in the Porsche Talent Team.
