SUMMARY
- Eva Lys recently participated in the Dubai tennis championships.
- She took to social media to highlight the abuse she received from a troll on social media.
As a sport, tennis can be both gratifying and cruel at times. It can be particularly toxic to players when their performance is not up to par. Unfortunately, players are criticized even if they play well, as Eva Lys can attest. The German tennis player was on the receiving end of a barrage of slurs recently, amid her efforts at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The 22-year-old player has been steadily climbing up the ranking ladder, and she is currently ranked 140. She played the qualifying rounds at the Australian Open before Leolia Jeanjean knocked her out in the third round. Lys is currently playing through the qualifying rounds in Dubai, the second WTA 1000 event of the year. She defeated Jaqueline Cristian 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 in a tight three-set match to set up a clash with Clara Burel, who knocked her out.
Following her match against Cristian, Eva shared a screenshot of the messages she received from an individual on social media. The messages initially reflected the individual’s admiration for Eva. Unfortunately, it took a drastic turn for the worse, as the person sent her a nasty message. “F*ck you miserable wh***,” they wrote.
is that what you call character development? 🧍🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/EQiMDZTFCu
— Eva Lys (@evalys_) February 16, 2024
Online trolls are not new, unfortunately, and they take a toll on the players’ mental health. Several WTA stars have hit back at the bullies in the past, but it has not deterred them.
Eva shared the screenshot with a touch of humor, and fans jumped in with their theories. Fellow player Ellen Perez shared her wisdom, stating that all relationships go through rough patches. Most fans believed the person had likely lost a bet. Here are a few reactions to the post.
Love you love you… until I lose a bet 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️😭😭😭 https://t.co/qbdF8tLYM4
— Flavietto99 🇮🇹 (RAFA 22 🏆) (@FlavioBert899) February 16, 2024
Every relationship goes through rough patches. I still believe in this working out
— Ellen Perez (@EllenPerez95) February 16, 2024
Trolls are unafraid of crossing boundaries with athletes, particularly women. This incident with Eva Lys just highlights how unafraid they are and how the governing bodies have failed their players despite taking measures.
Trolls have previously targeted Eva Lys
The German player is a hard worker, and her efforts are paying off. She has won three ITF titles in her career so far, and she made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open last year. Despite her achievements, trolls have harassed her constantly.
Many have criticized her for her playing style or her looks. Others criticized her harshly for her poor performance. She shared a screenshot of the abuse she received from fans after she lost her first WTA semifinal at the Transylvania Open.
Reality of a tennisplayer. Abuse is never okay. pic.twitter.com/TqucPE7Web
— Eva Lys (@evalys_) October 21, 2023
Eva Lys still has a long way to go to break into the top 100 rankings, but no one deserves such treatment. Hopefully, the tennis authorities will look into these matters seriously.