Lulu Sun seeks to rise again at Wimbledon

Lulu Sun knows a thing or two about seizing her moment on grass. 

The Te Anau-born 24-year-old turned heads at Wimbledon last year with her aggressive shot-making and fearless approach, which took her from qualifying to the quarterfinals. 

She returns this week determined to make this another memorable experience, starting with a first-round meeting against Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic.

Given the seven matches she won at Wimbledon last year, and her recent victory over world No 16 Daria Kasatkina in Eastbourne, grass is clearly a surface that suits her game, but she doesn’t prefer it over clay or hard courts.

“I wouldn’t say I have a favourite surface,” Sun said, reflecting on the unique demands of playing on grass. 

“I think I play well on grass. I don’t dislike any type of surface, but I think there are certain surfaces that suit my game, obviously, surfaces that I’ve played longer than others.”

There are few opportunities to master the art of grass-court tennis as this part of the season only lasts five weeks.

If Sun is able to defeat Bouzkova on Monday, she’d likely face Aryna Sabalenka on Centre Court on Monday, but understandably, Sun isn’t thinking any further than her match up against Bouzkova.

“She’s a very strong opponent, and she fights really well,” Sun said. 

“She works really hard. She’s one of those really good counter punchers, so I’ll have to be patient and work through it with my game.”

Sun’s game at its best can be dazzlingly aggressive — but she knows the key against top players is sustaining that level for long stretches and it was doing this which helped her get the win over Kasatkina.

“You have to be consistent, but you also have to be precise and aggressive against the top players and any player in the top 100, because they’re all here for a reason, they’re all great players,” she says. “Obviously you’re not going to win every point, but you have to keep at that level throughout the match.”

Sun says 2025 hasn’t gone as well as she would have hoped, but she remains optimistic about what she can achieve in the game and still feels as though she’s in the early stages of her career. 

However, it’s a tricky balancing act between working on aspects of her game and the kind of being on Tour.

“I’m trying to work on my defence and also reaction time and fitness,” Sun said. “But throughout the season, you don’t have much time to do those two or three-week bases of training. So it’s tough during the season, but you have to work with it.”

Sun has become a familiar name to New Zealand fans since her Wimbledon breakthrough last year. It’s a connection she holds dear — and one that gives her an extra push when she steps onto court.

“I don’t think I’ve really changed to having a deeper connection. I’ve always been connected with New Zealand from the start, when I was born,” Sun said. 

“I think it’s really cool that so many people either look up to what I’m doing, or are cheering for me. It always helps to have that kind of connection with the people you’re representing, the people from where you’re from, and that gives me an extra boost sometimes, just like in the Billie Jean King Cup, when you’re trying to do it for more than yourself.”

If Sun can find that same spark at Wimbledon, a tricky first-round test against Bouzkova could be just the beginning of another memorable run on the lawns of SW19.