Rome Open 2025: Alexander Zverev delights fans as Eva Lys loses to Elena Rybakina after a strong start

Germany’s leading tennis players experienced contrasting fortunes at the Rome Masters, with Alexander Zverev cruising through his opener while Eva Lys battled valiantly in a narrow defeat.

Defending champion and 2021 Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev began his campaign in commanding fashion, dispatching Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-2, 6-1 on May 9, 2025. The match lasted just 66 minutes, with Zverev converting his first match point to seal a routine victory.

The atmosphere on Campo Centrale was electric, highlighted by a spontaneous Mexican wave that rippled through the stands. Zverev acknowledged the crowd’s energy with a round of applause before refocusing on the task ahead. Among those in attendance was football legend Mats Hummels, who was there to support Eva Lys and appeared to enjoy the spirited occasion.

With the win, Zverev advances directly to the third round, where he will face Lithuanian qualifier Vilius Gaubas on May 10 at 11:00 p.m. local time. Gaubas, ranked No. 154 in the ATP rankings, caused an upset in the previous round by defeating Denis Shapovalov. Zverev will be aiming to continue his strong form as he builds momentum heading into Roland Garros.

Fighting Spirit from Eva Lys Against Rybakina

Eva Lys delivered a spirited performance despite falling short against world No. 11 and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the women’s Round of 64. The 23-year-old from Hamburg made an aggressive start, securing an early break in the first set. However, Rybakina’s consistency and power saw her claw back to force a tie-break, which she won 7-6 (7-3).

Lys continued to fight in the second set, showcasing flashes of her trademark backhand, but Rybakina’s heavy baseline hitting proved decisive. The Kazakh closed out the match 6-2 in the second set after 1 hour and 40 minutes of play.

Despite the loss, Lys drew praise from coaches and fans for her tenacity. “She kept the match tight for a long time,” noted one observer. “But once Rybakina took control in the first-set tiebreak, she didn’t let go.”

Lys can take heart from her performance in Rome. Facing one of the tour’s most dangerous players, she demonstrated her continued development and showed she can compete at the highest level. While Rybakina’s experience ultimately tipped the scales, Lys exited with her head held high.