Lucky losers are players who lose out in the qualifiers for a tournament but get a place in the main draw if someone withdraws due to injury or illness.
Lees packed her bags and booked a flight after her loss in the final round of qualifying, but her place in the draw opened up for her when Russian Kalinskaya withdrew on Monday before her first-round match.
Lees was on site receiving treatment from a physiotherapist when the withdrawal was announced and was given ten minutes' notice before she headed to court to face Australia's Kimberley Birrell.
Although she was concerned about not having enough time to prepare, she qualified 6-2, 6-2, and moved her trip to Sunday.
That trip would have to change once again, as he spent Sunday preparing for a match against five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek on Monday.
“Right now, I think after the press conference we will go and try to shake it up a little bit,” Lees said.
“It's actually really funny. We just picked a date. We say, 'Okay, Sunday is six days away. We'll just pick Sunday.'
“I'm glad we have to change it now.”
When she eventually flies home, she will make at least AU$420,000 (£210,342) – a notable difference from the AU$50,000 (£25,300) Liz thought she would take home after losing in the qualifiers, which is a huge boost. Strong for her. Career earnings of $798,163 (£655,413).
Not has competed in all four Grand Slams but her best performance at a Grand Slam before that was a second round appearance at the US Open in 2023.
She is the sixth lucky loser to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam in the Open Era, but the first to do so in Melbourne. None of them have ever made it past the fourth round.
“Obviously I'm very happy to have made it to week two. I feel like week two has always been a dream for me,” Lees added.
