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USA Today via Reuters
Aug 13, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Jessica Pegula from USA hits a shot against Ons Jabeur from Tunisia (not pictured) during the quarterfinals at Stade IGA. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-08-14T031313Z_1482358414_MT1USATODAY16561492_RTRMADP_3_TENNIS-NATIONAL-BANK-OPEN.jpg?width=600)
USA Today via Reuters
Aug 13, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Jessica Pegula from USA hits a shot against Ons Jabeur from Tunisia (not pictured) during the quarterfinals at Stade IGA. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Proving that the sky’s the limit, two college players, Lulu Sun and Emma Navarro, have made their mark in the tennis world by reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals. After the amazing moment, Jessica Pegula took pride in the young college players who are ready to change the game in the professional world.
It appears that both of the former collegiate tennis players have made it to the women’s major quarterfinals for the first time, which is a huge accomplishment in itself. Their accomplishments demonstrate the increasing importance and standard of collegiate tennis programs in producing elite athletes. In addition to that, the prospect of Virginia’s Danielle Collins joining them and making it three on Monday only heightens the anticipation and highlights the influence of collegiate tennis on the professional scene. As soon as this news was shared by the espnW, the American tennis player, Pegula, took to her Instagram account to share a story to applaud the same.
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Polls of the day
Poll 1 of 5
Do you think college tennis is the key to future Wimbledon champions?
Absolutely
Maybe
Not at all
Only for some players
Do you think Holger Rune's defense of Novak Djokovic was justified?
Absolutely
No way
Partially
Not sure
Whats your Perspective on:
Emma Navarro and Lulu Sun's Wimbledon success—proof that college tennis is a game-changer?
Have an interesting take?
Is Lulu Sun's Wimbledon quarter-final run the greatest achievement in New Zealand tennis history?
Yes
No
Too early to say
One of the best
What do you think is the main reason behind Alexander Zverev's recurring injuries?
Overtraining
Bad luck
Poor medical advice
Inadequate recovery time
Moving on to the court, the 23-year-old, Lulu Sun, rated 123rd, defeated Qinwen Zheng, the eighth-seeded player, in the first round. Then, with a superb performance on Center Court on Sunday, she ended Emma Raducanu’s hopes of reaching her first Wimbledon quarterfinal.
On the other hand, in the fourth round on Sunday, Navarro defeated Coco Gauff, the current US Open champion, in straight sets, extending her record at a Grand Slam. In the past, she won the 2021 NCAA championship in her first year of competition, which earned her a spot in the US Open main draw, although she was eliminated in the opening round. She made the decision to focus entirely on professional tennis in 2022 after completing her collegiate career with an outstanding 51-3 singles record.
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Her impressive rise to prominence in the professional tennis scene can surely be attributed in part to the solid foundation she created during her college years. However, the 23-year-old tennis player talked about her mindset that kept her growing and glowing at Wimbledon.
Emma Navarro’s mindset over a successful Wimbledon run
What’s your perspective on:
Emma Navarro and Lulu Sun's Wimbledon success—proof that college tennis is a game-changer?
Have an interesting take?
Navarro’s performance at this year’s Wimbledon builds on an already stellar season for the young player. The American showed promise on hard courts earlier this year when she advanced to the third round of the Australian Open. She subsequently showed her adaptability on clay by making it to the fourth round of the French Open.
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After the amazing victory, she stated, “I think that mindset has definitely helped me just not to look at a day like today as any different than any other match. I think just being able to look at individual matches for what they are and not make them anything greater than that.” Even though she has advanced quickly through the ranks, this shouldn’t be shocking. Navarro had a great time while attending Virginia.
Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the two former college players rising on the court? Do let us know in the comment section below.
Debate
Emma Navarro and Lulu Sun's Wimbledon success—proof that college tennis is a game-changer?