Eva Lys was planning her flight out of Melbourne. But in a twist of fate, Lys has now advanced further than any "lucky loser" before.

Eva Lys is making a habit of changing her travel plans, with the German advancing to the fourth round after initially failing to qualify for the main draw in Melbourne.

Had it not been for Anna Kalinskaya's last-minute withdrawal at the Australian Open, Eva Lys would probably be on the road to her next tournament after losing in the third round of the qualifying event at Melbourne Park.

Germany's Eva Lys has become the first women's single lucky loser to reach the last 16 at the Australian Open in the Open era as she extended her fairy-tale run with another impressive victory on Saturday.

Germany's Eva Lys makes history as she becomes the first women's singles lucky loser to reach the Australian Open in the Open Era.

Eva Lys called it “an insane story” and life-changing after the German made history on Saturday by reaching the last 16 of the Australian Open 2025 and a date with Iga Swiatek. The 128th-ranked Lys fought back from a set down to become the first women’s singles “lucky loser” to reach the fourth round since the event moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.

Only six lucky losers have managed to reach the last 16 of the women’s singles event at a Grand Slam and Eva Lys has become the first player to achieve the feat at the Australian Open. Wimbledon now remains the only major where the phenomenon has not happened as the achievement has also taken place at Roland Garros (four times) and once at the US Open.