Lulu Sun’s historic rise at Wimbledon is a story of relentless hard work! The left-hander player, who has secured a place in the quarterfinal of SW19, had a tough decision to make as a kid. The 23-year-old has lived in two countries, Switzerland and New Zealand, playing for both as well. However, when it comes to representing a country in the WTA, which flag would she choose? Thankfully, her stepfather, Sinclair Hoffmann’s advice, solved her problem!

When Lulu Sun was only 5 years old, her family had to make an important decision. Moving little Lulu, from the South Island, New Zealand, to Switzerland, not only changed Sun’s address but also her fate and outlook later down the line. Born to a Chinese mother and a Croatian father (the couple later parted ways), Lulu was already discovering her family’s diverse backgrounds when her mother sent her to the United States. She wanted Sun to study at the University of Texas! Luckily, it worked to her advantage in all aspects. Sun’s intrigue in tennis took on a new shape there as she continued to refine her skills.

Although she represented both countries as a kid, now, she has to choose between the two. “It was going back and forth, and it is such a tough decision because it is once in your career. You can’t go back from that,” she once said. After all, Sun, who believes “New Zealand is a part” of who she is, was comfortable playing for the country where she is originally from. However, she knew that, even though ” it was super tough, but the decision had to be made at some point”, it “wasn’t an easy one” either. Enter Sun’s stepfather, Sinclair Hoffmann! When Chris Blint, Sun’s coach, had a 45-minute discussion with him over a call, both knew that things needed to move fast. 

Soon, Sun’s mother, Lele, and Hoffmann came to her rescue. Both indulged in the discussion with TNZ and tried to reach a potential solution. After weighing the offers provided by Switzerland, it was time for Sun to make a decision. Talking with her former childhood trainer (in Geneva), Sinclair Hoffmann, her mother, Lele, and her agent, Lulu Sun chose to play for New Zealand! Not only that, she represented her country in the Billie Jean King Cup as well. 

“After deep reflection, it is with great pride that I announce my commitment to represent New Zealand, my birth country, on the international stage at the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup. This decision is a truly pivotal moment in my career and a heartfelt tribute to my origin,” Lulu Sun declared. However, as she moves forward in her game, guided by the love and support of her family, Sun tries not to represent a ‘specific culture’ anymore. Instead, she wants to highlight her diversity!

Lulu Sun considers herself “lucky” for her multicultural background

Lulu Sun’s commitment to tennis and representing her country has taken a new course at Wimbledon! After all, she is now the second New Zealander WTA player to enter the quarterfinals in the SW19. Witnessing this historic moment live, Lulu Sun’s mother and her sister were also present at Wimbledon. As she secured her first-ever victory against the Brit, tears rolled down her mother’s face, with Sun now entering the top 60 rankings for the first time in her career. However, she expressed how she owes part of her success to her multicultural heritage. 

Lulu Sun noted, “ “I think I’m lucky to have all these backgrounds behind me. From an early age I got to see the world and get to know it through my family. When you have so many cultures behind you, you don’t really 100% fit into one. Sometimes when I was growing up, it was really hard to fit into one specific culture. But now I’ve grabbed different parts of different cultures and they somehow became me. I’m not fighting it, I’m not trying to be a specific culture.” 

However, the war is far from over. As Lulu Sun progresses towards success, with the support of her family, tennis fans are now waiting for her matches at Wimbledon! Are you eager to watch Lulu Sun’s upcoming games? Let us know in the comments below.