German tennis player Lys says online abuse against her is on the rise

Eva Lys has said that she is receiving more hate comments on social media since becoming the highest ranked woman in German tennis.

Lys, 23, has risen to number 60 in the WTA rankings, and she told Saturday's Tagesspiegel paper that with it the amount of abuse has also grown.

"It has actually increased as more people have become aware of me and my matches are broadcast more often, it has actually increased," Lys said.

"I think it's just important to keep talking about it - in the hope that it will decrease again at some point."

Ukraine-born Lys had first made insulting and derogatory posts public in 2023, naming them "the reality of a tennis player."

She now said: "I don't think you can ignore something like that - there should always be consequences. Arguments like 'But that's how it is and that's how it's always been' have never worked for me when something doesn't go right. I simply have a thirst for justice."

Lys has some 200,000 followers on Instagram.

She said she would continue posting content off the courts "because it is important for me to show other perspectives in sport, and to change the stigma of women in sport a little bit."

Lys' rise in the rankings has earned her a main draw place at Wimbledon starting on June 30. She starts her grass court season next week in Berlin where she faces Spain's Paula Bardosa in the first round.

Lys said she hopes to lift a trophy at some stage, but at the moment still lacks matches and experience at the top level.

"If I continue like this I am on a really good path," she said.