Meet LuLu Sun: The Chinese-Heritage Player Who Upset Zheng Qinwen and Faces Zhu Lin Next

New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, ranked No. 123 in the world, caused the first major upset at Wimbledon by defeating eighth seed Zheng Qinwen in the first round, securing her first main-draw Grand Slam victory and the first for a New Zealand woman in a major since 2014.

Sun celebrates her victory

She Grew Up in a Multicultural Environment

Born in New Zealand, Sun’s mother is Chinese (from Nanchang, Jiangxi) and her father is Croatian. She lived in Switzerland from age five and now divides her time between Florida and Slovenia, the home country of her coach, Vladimir Platenik.

Bilingual in English, French, and fluent in Chinese, Sun has opened accounts on Chinese social media platforms to share her life and received congratulations from Chinese fans after her win over Zheng.

“I feel fortunate to have grown up in such diverse backgrounds,” Sun says. “From a young age, I was able to explore different parts of the world and learn about it through my family.”

“When you’re exposed to so many cultures, it’s hard to fully belong to any one culture. At times in my upbringing, I felt like I didn’t quite fit into a specific cultural mold. But I drew from different cultures and became who I am today without trying to fit into one particular culture.”

At 23, Sun officially changed her nationality from Swiss to New Zealand this year. She represented New Zealand in April at the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I in Changsha. Sun mentioned that the warmth and support from the crowd during her appearance at the WTA 250 Auckland event in January influenced her decision.

She Was Once a Collegiate Tennis Athlete

Before turning pro, she was a student-athlete at the University of Texas.

In 2015, at age 14, Sun became the first player born in 2001 to earn a WTA ranking. Among her peers were future stars like Swiatek, Anisimova, and Potapova. Despite early success, tennis was a hobby rather than a career choice for her then. As her junior career neared its end, her thoughts started to change, but her mother encouraged her to focus on her studies.

Sun’s highest junior singles ranking was No. 13

“After playing the four Grand Slam junior events, I felt I had the ability to become a professional tennis player. I had a good level and wanted to give it a try,” Sun explains. “But my mom emphasized the importance of education, believing it would be challenging to balance both tennis and school. That year, I got injured, and she suggested using that time to prepare for exams and go to college, which is what I did.”

“Timing was perfect because of the pandemic, which allowed me to study uninterrupted. Hearing about players’ experiences when tournaments resumed wasn’t appealing, so I felt lucky to choose between these two paths.”

Sun studied International Relations and Global Studies in college, a discipline that dovetailed with her multicultural background. “I chose it because it’s an interesting topic, and people thought it suited me well. Many student-athletes opt for kinesiology or sports-related majors,” she shares.

“People say sports aren’t political, and they’re right; sports are sports. But if you delve into international affairs and other cultures, you understand how they view the world, their lives, and ideas, which helps you understand the world better.”

In 2022, Sun graduated and committed to a full-time tennis career.

Sun won both singles and doubles titles at the W100 Bonita Springs in 2023

She Breaks Through at Wimbledon

Sun made her Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2023 Australian Open, coming through three rounds of qualifying before losing in straight sets to Cori Gauff. At Roland Garros, she fell in the second round of qualifying. Her second main-draw appearance came at Wimbledon, where she faced Zheng in the first round. This time, she told herself not to think about her opponent’s reputation or their previous encounter in juniors, where Zheng won 6-2, 6-0 at the Eddie Herr in 2018.

“I didn’t think about her ranking going into this match because I’ve done that before and it didn’t work out well,” Sun notes. “I treated it as just another match, looking for her weaknesses. After losing to her as a junior, I thought, ‘Wow, she destroyed me.’ So turning the tables and winning in three sets shows my progress over the years.”

Sun’s versatile game, especially her slice, proved troublesome on grass against Zheng. Clever use of the shot helped her score crucial points.

Sun defeats Zheng Qinwen

Credit: Felix

“The slice can disrupt anyone’s rhythm, whether in service games or rallies, and it’s a big advantage on grass,” says Sun, who has a natural affinity for the surface despite lackluster results as a junior. “I didn’t win much before, but I’ve always enjoyed playing on grass.”

Following her upset of Zheng, Sun advanced to the third round of a major for the first time by defeating fellow qualifier Stakovec. She will next face another Chinese player, Zhu Lin.

Zhu, speaking after her second-round win, acknowledged Sun’s tricky slice and said she would study her game carefully. “I think Sun’s slice is actually quite dangerous on grass, especially her sliced serve. Sometimes it doesn’t bounce much and can be effective,” Zhu commented.

Just a week ago, while competing in Wimbledon qualifying in Roehampton, Sun might not have imagined making such a significant breakthrough at the All England Club. In the second round of qualies, she faced Czech Nutson and, despite leading 5-1 in the deciding set, nearly fell victim to a comeback, saving match point before winning the tense tiebreak.

“That’s tennis. No matter the situation or score, even when you feel there’s no hope, you still have a chance to win if you keep fighting and focus on every point. That’s why I love tennis,” Sun reflects.

Sun will represent New Zealand at the upcoming Paris Olympics, embarking on her first Olympic journey, where she will team up with Lu Treti to compete in the women’s doubles event.