Lulu Sun: Kiwi tennis player on her Wimbledon run

Kiwi tennis star Lulu Sun has lit up Wimbledon with her dream run to the quarter-finals. 

After coming through qualifying, Sun became the first New Zealand woman to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals in the Open era, but lost to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in three sets. 

She caught up with Piney to discuss the thrill of going from qualifier to quarter-finalist. 

Sun told him that it’s been a whirlwind of emotions and new experiences. 

“I’ll just continue working and continue, you know, trying to level up for future, future events.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks edb.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Kee We tennis player Lulusun has taken us all on
a magnificent ride at Wimbledon these last two weeks, reaching
the quarterfinals. We're going to see an all full law
of the New Zealander Lulu Sun. We qualify that has
lit up this tournament. She'll be around fifty in the
world on Monday's rankings and we look forward to seeing

(00:34):
that and at Wimbledon next year. Lulusun joins us here
on Weekend Sportloader. Congratulations on a terrific fortnight that we
all were totally enraptured with back here in New Zealand.
How do you yourself reflect on the last fortnight?

Speaker 3 (00:49):
In general terms, it's been a worldwaid of emotions and experiences,
new experiences and a lot of lessons learned. And I
can only you know, thank everyone that helped me and

(01:10):
supported me through all these weeks. And I'll just continue
working and continue, you know, trying to level up for
future future events.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, to even get into the mind draw, you had
to play qualifying, didn't you. You had your three rounds of
qualifying to get into the mind draw. Once you reached
the mind draw, what were your goals your aspirations?

Speaker 3 (01:35):
Well, coming from already playing passing qualifying in Australian Open,
I was hoping this time to pass the first round
so it could be better, you know, one more step
than Australian Open. So yeah, I mean I didn't have
a lot of expectations, but obviously you know, you want

(01:59):
to do well at the same time, so I was
just taking it match by match, and after my first one,
I was like, Okay, let's go go work on the
next one, and then the next one and then the
next one. So it kind of spiraled and I'm just
super happy I was able to experience all that and

(02:19):
against super players as well.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
How much confidence were you building during this time? How
much how much more confident did you become with each
match that you won?

Speaker 3 (02:30):
Definitely? I mean even with any win, you know, you get,
you build up your confidence and your sureeness in your
game and what you're doing, and it also brings up
momentum to you as well, so I think it definitely
brought up each round.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, across the tournament, Lulu, what do you think contributed
most to your success? What were you doing particularly well
across all your matches at Wimbledon that got you all
the way through to the quarterfinals.

Speaker 3 (03:02):
I think having an aggressive grame was definitely helping. And
obviously my serve and forehand were, you know, the the
helpful strokes that I had in my game. So I mean,
on grass, obviously you have to be aggressive and come
to the net because it you know, when you're aggressive,

(03:25):
you get advantages more on the net. To be able
to come in more opportunities as well, and to be
able to finish in the net also helps you because
sometimes if you don't, then the rally might continue.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
So yeah, but that's not an adjustment for you, is it? Necessarily?
From what I can see and have read and have seen,
that's your game, isn't it? The aggressive game, the serve
and volley coming to the net, and it clearly worked
for you at Wimbledon. So so this surface and this
tournament probably probably search your game, does it.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah, it does, I've I've played it only a few
times before, so but I enjoy my time on grass
always because it's a short season Montanna's unfortunately, but I
enjoy each surface as well because you you have to

(04:16):
adapt a little bit on each surface, a little bit
of your game, a little bit of how you move
as well. So it's it's sort of this adaptability game always,
and so I really enjoy that.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Tell us about the experience of center court, playing on
center court for the first time, and not only on
center court, but against local darling Emma Radakanu, who obviously
had a whole nation behind her, but not only playing
out there against her, but winning that match, What was
that like?

Speaker 3 (04:50):
I mean, first of all, I was just really stoked
to play on center and to be able to play
in such a big of a crowd was amazing. And
to play a player like Emma, who was you know,
even and if I lost, I would I would take
it all in and I would learn from it. So

(05:11):
I just really came in to play each point at
one hundred percent and until the very last. And so
I mean it was insane. But obviously with the roof closed,
everything was echoing and it was hard to hear when
people were aplauding, but I kind of knew that was

(05:34):
going to happen beforehand, So I think it was okay.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, okay, more than okay, What a what an experience
for you? To beat Emma Ratakana and get through in
a lovely reception as well that you received from the crowd,
even though they were obviously barracking for Emma, you know,
for you to go back out there and get that
lovely reception, I thought that was that was just awesome.
So now, Lulu, you don't really have a lot of
time to relax because the Paris Olympics are fast approaching.

(06:00):
You're going to play doubles there with Aaron Routliffe. How
much are you're looking forward to that, to playing with
the silver Fern, you know, at the Paris Olympics in
the next couple of weeks.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
I'm so looking forward to it. I'm really excited to
play doubles with Aaron, you know. I know she has
a lot of experience, more experience than me obviously, so
I'm going to take everything she says, and I'm going
to try to prepare as best as I can before
and just you know, give it all. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
Well, if it's anything like Wimbledon, you're going to take
us on a heck of a ride. Lulu, congratulations on
a wonderful couple of weeks. You had everybody back here.
As I'm sure, you know, barracking for you and watching
every match and just willing you on and to reach
the quarterfinals. First key we to do it since Chris
Lewis back in nineteen ninety three is I'm sure you know,
was wonderful. All the best for what is ahead, including

(06:57):
the Paris Olympics. Will be watching with interest back here.
Thanks so much for taking the time for a chat.
Really appreciate it, Thank you so much. Thank you. Luluis
on there. Good to get the chance to chat to
our latest tennis star. She'll jump up into the fifties
in the women's singles rankings when those rankings are re
released after Wimbledon. But yeah, her next point of business

(07:19):
is the Paris Olympics. Just on Aaron Routliffe into the
final of the women's doubles. Now that is on Center
Court tomorrow, so Saturday in the UK, overnight tonight for us.
But it's the third it's the third match on center court.
The women's singles is first and that starts at one

(07:41):
am New Zealand time. That'll be followed by the men's
doubles and then the women's doubles. So it could well
be around depending on of course, how those other games go,
it could be around breakfast time, maybe slightly earlier than
that that Aaron Routcliffe, Aaron Routliffe, my apologies. Eron Rautliffe
and her doubles partner Gabriella Dobrowski of Canada make it

(08:05):
out onto center court to take on the opponents who
are Katarina sinea Kova from the Czech Republic and the
American player Taylor Townsend. Now Aeron Ratliffe and her partner
are the second seeds up against the fourth seeds, so
the favoritism is in the Kiwi's court, if we can

(08:26):
put it that way. So that'll be early hours of
tomorrow morning, getting towards breakfast time tomorrow morning, as I say,
depending on the length of the other two games, the
women's singles final and the men's doubles final will be
when Aaron Ratliffe makes it out. So yeah, we'll certainly
keep a very close eye on how she goes.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
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