History of Lulu Sun in Timeline
Lulu Sun is a professional tennis player who represents both New Zealand and Switzerland. Her highest singles ranking by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) reached No. 123 on June 24, 2024. Her best doubles ranking peaked at No. 219 on May 6, 2024.
1957: Ruia Morrison's Wimbledon Performance
Dame Ruia Morrison was the first New Zealand female player to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon in 1957 (and 1959).
1959: Ruia Morrison's Wimbledon Performance
Dame Ruia Morrison was the first New Zealand female player to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon in 1959 (and 1957).
1989: Belinda Cordwell's Australian Open Achievement
Belinda Cordwell was the first New Zealand woman to reach a Major quarterfinal at the 1989 Australian Open.
1998: Birth of Phenomena Radovcic
Lulu Sun's older sister, Phenomena Radovcic, was born in 1998.
April 2001: Birth of Lulu Sun
Lulu Sun was born in April 2001.
2016: Retirement of Phenomena Radovcic
Phenomena Radovcic, Lulu Sun's older sister, retired from playing professional tennis in 2016.
2018: Junior Tournament Participation
In 2018, Lulu Sun participated in several junior tournaments. Notably, she was a runner-up in the Australian Open girls' doubles representing Switzerland and competed in junior Wimbledon representing New Zealand.
2021: NCAA DI Women's Tennis Championship
In 2021, Lulu Sun clinched the match for UT Austin in the NCAA DI women's tennis championship, securing the third NCAA championship for the university's women's tennis program.
May 2022: First ITF Title and WTA Tour Main-Draw Debut
In May 2022, Lulu Sun won her first big ITF title at the Saint-Gaudens Open in doubles, partnering with Fernanda Contreras. She also made her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the Morocco Open after receiving a wildcard into the singles draw.
2022: Graduation from University of Texas at Austin
Lulu Sun graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Political Science in 2022.
2022: Turning Pro
Lulu Sun turned pro in 2022 after playing college tennis.
February 2024: Grand Slam and WTA 1000 Debuts
Lulu Sun made her Grand Slam debut at the 2024 Australian Open. In February 2024, she recorded her first win at the WTA 1000 level at the Dubai Championships and reached a new career-high singles ranking of No. 151.
May 2024: WTA Doubles Ranking
In May 2024, Lulu Sun achieved her best doubles ranking of No. 219 by the WTA.
June 2024: Billie Jean King Cup and Tournament Win
Lulu Sun played for New Zealand for the first time in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup. She also won the singles and doubles titles at the W100 Bonita Springs tournament in Florida, reaching the top 125 in the rankings on June 17, 2024.
June 2024: WTA Ranking Achievement
On June 24, 2024, Lulu Sun achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 123 by the WTA.
2024: Wimbledon Debut and Quarterfinal Run
Lulu Sun made her Wimbledon debut in 2024, upsetting eighth seed Zheng Qinwen for her first top 10 win. She reached the quarterfinals, becoming the first New Zealand woman to do so in the Open Era. This success propelled her into the top 55 of the WTA rankings.