New Zealander Lulu Sun has become the talk of Wimbledon 2024, achieving a remarkable feat by reaching the round of 16. Her upcoming match against Emma Raducanu received a special compliment from Serena Williams’ childhood coach Rick Macci, who also mentioned Sun’s NCAA Champion status and his long-standing association with the talented WTA star.

Sun is the second Kiwi woman in 65 years to reach Wimbledon’s round of 16. Following her impressive performance, she has garnered attention, including from Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci, who tweeted in anticipation of her match against Emma Raducanu. Macci predicted a thrilling encounter and highlighted his long-time mentoring of Sun, stating, “Emma as I said can beat anybody anytime anywhere and she now plays one of my long time students since age 11 NCAA CHAMPION LULU SUN a lefty with ATP clean firepower off both wings and a nasty cutting serve. Life changing match for both players on the grass. Pull up a lawn chair.”

This isn’t the first time Macci has talked about Sun on social media. Previously, when Sun won the NCAA National Championship title in 2021 for the University of Texas, Macci praised her through his official Instagram profile with a picture of Lulu Sun smiling post-victory. “I have had the privilege to work with Lulu Sun since she has been 11 years old, and am so proud to announce that she clinched the NCAA National Championship for the University of Texas last night!!!! I am so proud of you @lululsun @texaswtn,” captioned Macci.

Rick Macci’s praise for this New Zealand WTA star compels people to follow her game at Wimbledon. Given that the eminent coach has already made positive predictions about her upcoming match with Raducanu, it promises to be a captivating on-court encounter. Sun herself expressed delight in facing a talented player like Emma Raducanu, who has already won a Grand Slam title in her career.

Lulu Sun is “super-happy” to play against Emma Raducanu

This New Zealand WTA star expressed extreme happiness playing against Raducanu and confidence about reaching this stage. Calling the Briton “such a great athlete”, Sun said, “She’s obviously been firing in the Grand Slams before and she’s Wimbledon’s favourite since she is from here. I wasn’t expecting to be here at this stage, but I’ve just been playing match-by-match. But yeah, here I am.”

While Sun and Raducanu prepare to face each other, they share certain similarities that have helped them perform well on the court. Sun’s mother is New Zealander Chinese, and her father is Croatian. Despite representing New Zealand, she currently resides in Switzerland and holds dual citizenship in both New Zealand and Switzerland.

On the other hand, Raducanu’s mother is Chinese, and her father is Romanian. Born in Canada, Raducanu has spoken about how her diverse upbringing has helped her blend well on the court. Given Sun’s similar diverse background, she has likely gained similar insights to remain strong on the court.

Nevertheless, Rick Macci’s statements revealed that he coached Sun when she was young, underscoring her training by a veteran known for developing talents like Serena Williams. Following her early coaching, it appears she is poised to present a tough challenge to Raducanu, demonstrating her determination to compete until the last moment.