THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 7, 2024

Lulu Sun

Press Conference

L. SUN/E. Raducanu

6-2, 5-7, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Lulu, quarterfinals of Wimbledon. You must be feeling pretty good right now.

LULU SUN: Yeah, it was an incredible match. Very long match. I think Emma, she kept at it. I'm super happy with the performance. I think at the end we were both kind of, energy-wise, struggling with the long match.

Yeah, I think the level was great from both of us. Just super pleased. I'm, like, kind of tired, so can't really put into words, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The atmosphere on the Centre Court with the closed roof, playing against a British player, can be quite intimidating. How did you keep your cool during the whole match?

LULU SUN: I mean, already before the match, I kind of expected it. She's obviously from here. She's one of the favorites.

Honestly, the British crowd is not that bad. If you've seen, like, French crowds at the French Open or at the US Open. I was expecting the support for her, but they were honestly okay for me.

Q. You kept on playing aggressive all through the match. Was that the tactic?

LULU SUN: Sorry?

Q. You played aggressive all through the match. Was that your tactic, to keep on doing that even if you had some bad points?

LULU SUN: Yeah, I mean, obviously I think if you give Emma the time, she's going to take advantage of it, she's going to take the opportunity, which she did.

I think staying aggressive was definitely a key point to the match. It worked well because getting her to move and getting her on the defense was what I wanted because as soon as she gets aggressive on her side, then the chance gets smaller for me.

Q. I'm sorry we keep asking about your background. For someone who is so international, going to the University of Texas is a very classic American university. How did you end up there? What is your relationship with Austin, Texas?

LULU SUN: Honestly, before going to Texas, that year actually in the beginning of the year, I had no plans on going to university. I thought I was going to go straight to pro. I was still playing juniors. It was my last junior year.

Yeah, then I got injured. My mom, as I said before, she was worried about when am I going to take my exams, all that. Basically she saw a message from Howard, the coach at Texas. She was like, Oh, my God, this is a good school. You have to go. Text him back.

I was like, Okay, sure.

Yeah, I visited Austin. Actually I played a tournament at Texas Tech. I was like, Oh, my God, there's nothing here. I was so in awe with Austin, the city. I loved it so much that I was like, Wow, this is a school that's so big and they have everything. It was really amazing.

Howard was really nice and supportive. Yeah, then afterwards obviously COVID happened, which was unfortunate. Yeah, the team that we had that year was amazing. I knew, like, some of them already from juniors. It was quite nice to have.

Yeah, I guess it was luck or good timing, I don't know. But I'm really happy that I chose Texas, yeah.

Q. Are you surprised at all about your run to the quarterfinals?

LULU SUN: I think the quallies in general, it's not the level that you play there. It's not that big of a difference in the main draw. Obviously the points are different. That's why we're there.

In terms of the tennis, we're not that much different, far off, from the top hundred. It's just that little you have to get far in some tournaments, obviously in the big tournaments, to make that jump.

Yeah, I don't think it's surprising. At the same time I wasn't thinking, Oh, I'm going to be in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. I honestly was just like, Okay, first match. I got through it. I was like, Okay, next match. After I passed quallies, I was super delighted because the last quallies I played at Wimbledon, I lost in the final round of quallies in three sets. I was super disappointed.

When you're so close to qualifying, it kind of hurts your heart. So just getting to the main draw was a big step already.

Playing all these players up until now, it's just opportunity, a new opportunity each time. Yeah, I'm super grateful to be able to play another match here, yeah.

Q. Do you have any sense of what your progress here means for tennis in New Zealand?

LULU SUN: I mean, I know the round of 16, when I won to get to the round of 16, I was the second player to do it. So to reach the quarterfinals, I think it's a major step because it brings inspiration and it brings to all the players in New Zealand something to look up -- not just for myself, but as the country as a whole, as the tennis in New Zealand, to be able to look farther.

Q. You're also a global figure. It's not just New Zealand. You described the other day the different countries you've lived in. What messages have you gotten from all over the world during this run? How have you felt about that?

LULU SUN: I honestly have only looked at messages from my close friends and family. I haven't really been looking all that much on my social media.

But I definitely feel the support and I feel the energy from people around the world. I'm super grateful from wherever it's coming from, from wherever in the world it's coming from. Just a little support comes a long way, whether it's from a random stranger or from someone close to you.

Q. Is it okay to ask about the next match? What are your thoughts on the next challenge for you during this run?

LULU SUN: Yeah, Vekic is obviously an experienced player. She's been on tour for a long while. I'm going to just prepare my best. Obviously tomorrow we have a day off. I'm going to try to recover my best and then watch some matches and practice a little, give my all on the next day.

Q. Have you seen her play? What are your thoughts on her game?

LULU SUN: Yeah, she's a good baseliner. She fights really well. She's made good results in the past.

I haven't watched a ton of matches from her, but I've watched some. I'll probably do that tomorrow, yeah.

Q. I remember reading when you chose to represent New Zealand, did it feel almost weird to have to pick one country to represent that kind of defines you in the public, having grown up with so many different influences?

LULU SUN: I mean, yeah, it was definitely difficult because I grew up a little bit in New Zealand. I was born there. My family is still there. I grew up in Switzerland as well. Both countries are dear to me.

It wasn't an easy decision because it never is when you have to choose between two things. So I think even now, I'm still grateful for everything that Swiss tennis has done in my junior career. At the same time I'm also grateful for Tennis New Zealand for their support and all that they've done so far.

It will always be all the countries that I have been in and have grew up or have a link to, they will always be within me in a way. I don't think that's ever going to leave.

Q. Have you been able to think about how much your life is going to change after that Wimbledon?

LULU SUN: I mean, I don't think so that much (smiling). I'm going to still play tennis next tournament, keep on training. I don't think much is going to change.

Q. What are the reasons you improved so much?

LULU SUN: I think it's just already from the preseason. I was working with my team really hard. I think also since 2022 I was able to 100% focus on my tennis. I think it was just little baby steps from last year.

Unfortunately I was injured during the summer, so that halted a bit. But this year I've played more WTA tournaments at the bigger levels. I think I really gained experience.

Obviously the loss at the Australian Open in the main draw was something that I took as a lesson. I think with each tournament, I've progressed in viewing the game better and playing my game better because I've had matches, more matches, under my belt. I've also worked physically more.

I think it's just every little step that I took with my team is just a progressively level up.

Q. What is the first sentence your mom said to you after this win? In what language also?

LULU SUN: She actually sent me something from Weibo. I was like, I forgot what it was. She sent the laughing emoji. It was like with Wang Yibo, it was with my face on it from his latest show. So I thought it was funny.

But she's like, Okay, you need to come back home quickly and we need to recover.

I was like, Okay, thanks, Mom.