Sun defeats Raducanu to reach Wimbledon last-eight

On Sunday, Lulu Sun made history as the first New Zealand woman to advance to the Wimbledon quarter-finals, defeating Emma Raducanu and ending hopes of a British women’s champion after 47 years.

Ranked 123rd in the world and a qualifier, the 23-year-old left-hander secured a hard-fought victory with a score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 over the 2021 US Open winner. Sun showcased her resilience, hitting 52 winners against Raducanu, who took a medical time-out in the third set for ankle and back issues.

“It was a tough match against Emma. I really had to dig deep to come out on top,” Sun commented, reflecting on her win, which marked her first Grand Slam victory after a previous loss.

Next, Sun will face Donna Vekic of Croatia as she aims to emulate Belinda Cordwell as only the second New Zealand woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since 1989. Despite limited grass-court experience this year, Sun attributed her growth to watching tennis greats like Roger Federer and studying matches such as Steffi Graf versus Martina Navratilova on YouTube.

Sun’s multicultural background adds depth to her journey; born to a Chinese mother and Croatian father, she spent her early years in Te Anau, New Zealand, before moving to Shanghai and later settling in Switzerland. Previously competing under the Swiss flag and having played college tennis in the United States, Sun’s victory ensures a significant rise in rankings and a guaranteed minimum prize of $375,000 for reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.