The Wimbledon 2024 tournament is in full swing, despite London’s terrible weather conditions making it challenging. Limited attendance and players’ struggles with the gloomy weather have prevented this Wimbledon from capturing the expected attention, even with Roger Federer’s presence. Amidst the rain, New Zealand’s Lulu Sun has lived up to her name, shining bright on Center Court two days ago. As the first Kiwi woman to achieve such a feat, she received a heartwarming compliment from colleague Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Sun defeated former US Open champion Emma Raducanu in Wimbledon’s Round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals, with scores of 6-2, 5-7, and 6-2. By reaching a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time, she made history as a Kiwi woman. Many of her colleagues, including Greek ATP star Stefanos Tsitsipas, congratulated her. Tsitsipas humorously referenced Wimbledon’s terrible weather in his praise for the New Zealander, writing, “The only Sun we had this week is Lulu.” This comment, shared by Eurosport on Instagram, caught Sun’s attention. She then shared it on her Instagram story with a sun and love hand gesture emoji to express her delight.

Lulu Sun deserves every bit of this compliment. Playing in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time and reaching the quarterfinals by defeating competitive contenders like Emma Raducanu is no small feat. Sun is not only the second Kiwi woman to reach the Wimbledon Round of 16, following Maori tennis legend Dame Ruia Morrison, but she is also the first New Zealander in seven years to reach a Grand Slam singles draw. Her incredible performance at Wimbledon has garnered attention from top-tier players.

On the other hand, Tsitsipas also took a dig at the terrible Wimbledon weather. According to the Met Office, there are yellow warnings issued across Southern England, South Wales, and Northern Scotland. Greater London, where Wimbledon takes place, has received more than its monthly rainfall quota. These weather conditions have not only decreased attendance but also severely affected players and their matches. Tsitsipas’ comment helped people understand how Sun’s performance became a ray of hope for attendees whose dreams of watching a great Wimbledon match were shattered by the rain.

Nevertheless, Sun’s response to Tsitsipas’ comment showed that she loved playing her best. After defeating Raducanu, Sun delved deeper into her feelings and mentioned how she prepared to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinals.

Lulu Sun reveals “it was a great match” after defeating Emma Raducanu

Sun expressed immense happiness after making history as a Kiwi woman. She mentioned breaking down into tears after the victory, saying, “It was a great match. I really dug deep to get the win. I really had to fight tooth and nail because she was obviously going to run for every ball and fight until the end.”

This New Zealander’s Round of 16 opponent also praised her, stating, “No one makes the quarter-finals of Wimbledon by accident, She’s obviously playing great tennis. It will be a tough match.”

Lulu Sun’s reaction to Stefanos Tsitsipas’ compliment demonstrated her confidence in her form in this Grand Slam. Despite it being her debut, Sun proved that nothing is impossible with sheer hard work and brilliance. Whether she wins or not, let’s give a big round of applause for Lulu Sun!