Lulu Sun, a qualifier from New Zealand, achieved a significant victory at Wimbledon by defeating wildcard Emma Raducanu with a score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday evening.
This win propels her to the quarter-finals, where she will face Croatian player Donna Vekic.
In a match held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Sun became the first qualifier to reach the women’s quarter-finals since Kaia Kanepi in 2010. Displaying remarkable composure, especially in her debut on Centre Court, Sun overcame both the challenge posed by Raducanu and the support of the home crowd for the British player.
Reflecting on her win, Sun expressed her overwhelming emotions and acknowledged the intense effort required to secure the victory.
“I don’t even have the words right now,” she said. “I really had to fight tooth and nail against her because she’s obviously going to run for every ball and fight until the end.”
Sun’s journey at Wimbledon has been impressive, winning seven matches in a row, including three in the qualifiers. Her aggressive playstyle was evident, hitting 52 winners compared to Raducanu’s 19. Despite making 44 unforced errors, Sun dominated the match with her powerful cross-court shots and frequent successful approaches to the net.
Her inspiration from tennis legend Roger Federer was apparent in her net play, a strategy she executed effectively, winning 82% of her 28 net approaches.
Speaking about her first experience on Centre Court, Sun shared her awe and excitement, emphasizing the significance of playing on such a prestigious stage.
Ranked No. 123, Sun’s next challenge will be against Vekic for a spot in the semi-finals.
Her path to the quarter-finals included notable victories over No. 8 seed Qinwen Zheng, Ukrainian qualifier Yulia Starodubtseva, and Lin Zhu from China. Meanwhile, Raducanu, ranked No. 135, had advanced to the fourth round with wins against Renata Zarazua, Elise Mertens, and No. 9 seed Maria Sakkari.
Other notable results from the round of 16 at Wimbledon included victories for players like Danielle Collins, Yulia Putintseva, Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, Emma Navarro, Jasmine Paolini, and Jannik Sinner.
