'Iga has the craziest intensity' - German tennis star Eva Lys recalls a training session with the former World No.1

Polish tennis superstar Iga Swiatek has reached the pinnacle of the tennis world, capturing several Grand Slams and the World No.1 ranking. However, her road to success would not have been possible without her high drive, as evidenced by German tennis player Eva Lys, who shared a practice session with the five-time Grand Slam champion.

Swiatek was entering Roland Garros as the three-time defending champion, but suffered a semifinal loss to eventual runner-up Aryna Sabalenka. The Polish star has not won a title in over a year, and will resume her quest as the WTA transitions to grass courts.

Training with Swiatek was intense, admits Lys

The 23-year old German is a frequent guest on the What The Vlog Youtube channel, a show run by WTA star Daria Kasatkina. During the French Open, Kasatkina sat with Lys as both discussed their latest developments. It was during this talk that Lys disclosed she had trained with Swiatek in the past, highlighting the former World No.1's intensity during the practice session.

"I warmed up with Iga once in Dubai," said Lys. "Afterwards I'm like, 'I don't need to play a match, I'm done.'"

"Yeah, she's pretty intense," added Kasatkina. "Honestly, I just feel like everybody is different. She's so explosive, she's so intense. Not everyone can be at that level but we can still all compete.

"I feel like it's the difference," continued Lys. "This is what individual sport is about, everyone's different but yes, Iga has the craziest intensity."

Lys defeated 28th seed Peyton Stearns in the first round of Roland Garros before falling to rising Canadian Star Victoria Mboko. Conversely, Kasatkina would make it to the round of 16, where she fell to good friend Mirra Andreeva in straight sets.