The surprise of the year’s Wimbledon tournament has been unveiled, and her name is Lulu Sun, the 123rd-ranked Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) player. Hailing from Te Anau, New Zealand, Sun has made history by becoming the first player from her country to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament.
Sun, who has also lived in China, Switzerland, and the United States, boasts an impressive record of victories on the tennis circuit. Her recent wins, including a victory over Chinese player Qinwen Zheng, the Australian Open finalist, demonstrate her talent and determination.
Sun’s background is just as impressive. She played for Switzerland until she decided to repatriate to her home country following the support she received from the crowd last January at the WTA in Auckland. Representing Switzerland, she had lived and trained in various countries, including China.
Despite the challenges of choosing between her affiliations, Sun emphasizes the connection she has with all the countries she has lived in. Her future opponent, Croatian Donna Vekic, will be her next challenger in the penultimate round. Additionally, Sun has also lived in Shanghai for a period.
As she ascends to the quarterfinals, Sun’s ranking is expected to rise at least 70 positions when the new rankings are released on Monday, July 15. Her coach, Vladimir Platenik, has an impressive history of training top players, including Belinda Bencic, Daria Kasatkina, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Dominika Cibulkova.
Platenik’s training base is located between Miami and Slovakia, where he has helped numerous athletes achieve success. Sun credits her coach for her success and has also been inspired by iconic tennis players such as Roger Federer, Steffi Graf, and Martina Navratilova, which she has studied through videos.
Sun’s college career took a backseat during the pandemic, allowing her to complete a degree in International Relations from the University of Texas in 2020.