bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Reuters

Much-travelled Lulu Sun has taken a circuitous route to arrive in the fourth round of Wimbledon and become the first New Zealand woman to go that far since 1959.
Qualifier Sun extended her dream run at the All England Club on Friday as she beat China’s Zhu Lin 7-6, 7-6 to set up a clash with British favourite Emma Raducanu.
She will be the huge underdog against the former US Open champion and will have to contend with a partisan Centre Court crowd, but the 23-year-old appears unfazed.
“I wasn’t expecting to be here at this stage, but I’ve just been playing match by match. But yeah, here I am,” she said.
The travelling life is the norm for professional tennis players these days, but left-hander Sun was crossing the globe before even picking up a racquet. So a venture to Centre Court will be just another place she can tick off.

Sun was born in the south of New Zealand to a Croatian father and Chinese mother and lived with her mum and grandmother in a small town with “more sheep and deer” than people.
Explaining her complicated early path to curious media, she said she then moved to Shanghai, before moving to Switzerland where she began life on the road as an up-and-coming junior tennis player.
“I didn’t spend too much time there when I started playing more and more juniors,” said Sun, who now lives in Geneva.
Prioritising her education, she then studied political science in the United States in Austin, Texas, before focusing on her tennis career.
She made her grand slam main draw debut at the Australian Open after qualifying and also came through the Wimbledon qualifiers to book her debut at the grass court slam.
After knocking out Chinese eighth seed Zheng Qinwen in the first round, the 123rd-ranked Sun has gone from strength to strength to guarantee a pay cheque of at least £266,000 (US$340,905).
Not bad for a player whose career earnings to date, according to the WTA, are US$313,000.
There are similarities between Sun and Raducanu even if their tennis careers have taken very different paths.
Raducanu’s mum is Chinese, her dad Romanian and she was born in Canada and the British player has said in the past that the blend has helped her on the court. Likewise Sun.
“Chinese obviously from my mom’s side, is very disciplined, hard-working. From my dad’s side, Croatian, he’s from the seaside, so very laid back and calm,” she said.
“I guess that’s a good combo. And then Swiss side is, like, neutral, yeah. From New Zealand I get that adventure side.”
The last woman from New Zealand to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon was Ruia Morrison.


Who is Costeen Hatzi, Nick Kyrgios’ influencer girlfriend who supported him during his comeback at the US Open, where he teamed up with Naomi Osaka?

Who is tennis player Anna Kalinskaya, world No 1 Jannik Sinner’s GF and Nick Kyrgios’ ex?

Meet German ex-tennis pro Tommy Haas, recently embroiled in break-up rumours

Who is retiring tennis star Andy Murray’s wife, Kim Sears?

Wimbledon

Sun continues to rise at Wimbledon, where Emma Raducanu awaits in fourth round

Lulu Sun plays a backhand return to Lin Zhu during their third round women’s singles match at Wimbledon. Photo: AP

Zhu Lin was the second Chinese player to lose to Lulu Sun in the women’s singles. Photo: AP

Wimbledon: Marketa Vondrousova is first defending champion out in first round for 30 years

Defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova leaves the Centre Court after being eliminated in the first round. Photo: AP

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro celebrates after her historic victory in the first round at Wimbledon. Photo: AP

Wimbledon: Djokovic fighting for golden generation amid challenge from Alcaraz, Sinner

Novak Djokovic is aiming to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon singles titles. Photo: AP

Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to defend his Wimbledon title and win a fourth grand slam. Photo: Reuters

Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is probably playing in his final championships. Photo: EPA

Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams to defend her Wimbledon title. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Tennis

New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, who has a Chinese mother, beat China’s Zhu Lin to extend dream run at All England Club


New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, who has a Chinese mother, beat China’s Zhu Lin to extend dream run at All England Club.


Croatia

Zheng Qinwen

Romania