Pride! The New Zealand Chinese-mixed descent athlete has made history and will represent New Zealand in the Olympic Games! Why did she choose here though she has passports of three countries?
Recently，
the New Zealand Chinese circle has been flooded with information about a mixed-blood New Zealand Chinese girl. She is tennis player Sun Lulu (Lulu Sun)!
Lulu Sun. Photo: Tennis Majors
On the first day of this month (July 1st), at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, which has attracted worldwide attention, Lulu, who participated in it for the first time, defeated Zheng Qinwen, a Chinese "seeded player" ranked eighth in the world, in the first round.
At the same time, Lulu also tied the record of reaching the fourth round at the All England Club, becoming the first New Zealand female player to reach the fourth round in the Open Era.
On July 5th, Sun Lulu once again shone on the court, winning her second-round match and advancing to the third round.
On July 7th, Sun Lulu created history by defeating Emma Raducanu in the fourth round with an astonishing score of 6-2, 5-7, and 6-2, advancing to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
As Sun Lulu continued to win matches and will soon represent New Zealand at the upcoming Paris Olympics this year, New Zealanders were ecstatic! Suddenly, the question "Who is she?" echoed everywhere.
How did this previously "unknown" mixed-race Chinese girl achieve such a stunning feat?
Having lived in Switzerland for over a decade and holding passports from three countries, why did she choose to represent New Zealand?
Follow Tianwei News as we delve into the details!
Born in a small town in New Zealand, moved to Switzerland at 5
The 23-year-old "tennis girl" braves the world
In 1998, Sun Lulu's grandmother from Jiangxi, Nanchang, China, purchased a property in Te Anau. In 2001, Sun Lulu was born in Te Anau, New Zealand - her father is Croatian, and her mother is Chinese.
She has an older sister, Phenomena Sun, who is also a tennis player, and a younger brother who is a golfer.
Through public information, it is learned that Sun Lulu lived in New Zealand for five years before her parents divorced. At the age of 8, she moved to Switzerland with her mother and lived in Geneva with her mother and stepfather. As a result, she is proficient in Chinese, English, and French and holds triple citizenship in New Zealand, Switzerland, and Croatia. Meanwhile, her grandmother still lives in Te Anau.
In Sun Lulu's tennis journey, her stepfather, a German who grew up in the UK, has taken on the role of her coach and agent.
Photo from Sun Lulu's Instagram.
Before moving to Switzerland with her mother, Sun Lulu also lived briefly in Shanghai.
Sun Lulu frequently travels between Miami and Slovakia, where her coach Vladimir Plantenik is located.
Studying International Relations and Global Studies at the University of Texas, Sun Lulu can truly be considered a "global citizen" – the Paris Olympics official website even joked that Sun Lulu herself is a "United Nations."
Photo: Olympic
Sun Lulu said: "I think I am very lucky to have all these backgrounds. From a very young age, Isaw the world through his family., and learned about it."
, when I was growing up, sometimeshave difficulty fitting into a particular culture, but now I 've mastered different parts of different cultures that somehow became me."
pictures from sun lulu Instagram.
has shown extraordinary tennis talent since childhood.
young achievement
since childhood, sun lulu has shown amazing tennis talent. In 2008, Sun Lulu wasSwiss Tennis Associationfunding, he started playing tennis.
2015, she became the first 14-year-old to win.Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankingsjunior tennis player.
her.for Switzerlandparticipated.2018 Australian OpenJunior Women's Doubles, finished runner-up with Violet Apisah. But at Wimbledon that year, because Sun Lulu was waiting for a new Swiss passport, she represented New Zealand during this period. That year, she lost in the second round of singles and the first round of doubles.
Subsequently, Lulu represented Switzerland in2018 Summer Youth Olympics. In March 2024, she represented New Zealand in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup.
later, Sun Lulu obtainedScholarships at the University of Texas, played tennis for the Long Horns (Longhorns) during his college years.
pictures from sun lulu Instagram.
she worked her way up, competing in the ITF Championships during her college years and breaking into the top 500 at the age of 17 in 2019.
2021, Sun Lulu competed in 14 events, winning in PortugalITF $25,000 Championship, and reached another final in Spain, lifting her No.Top 300, while helping her college team to the NCAA championship, their first since 1995.
, Sun Lulu defeated Pepperdine University's Taisiya Pachkaleva in a winner-take-all match to win the program.third team champion, ending her one season with Peyton Stearns, a future Women's Tennis Association (WTA) top 50 player, for the Longhorns.
2022,Sun Lulu turns professional.
Sun Lulu in 2022. Photo from Sun Lulu Instagram.
from Switzerland to New Zealand
Sun Lulu: This is a decision that must be made.
In February of this year, Sun Lulu sat in a hotel room in Dubai and made one of the most important decisions of her life--fromfor Switzerlandplay ball,switched to play for New Zealand.
, this is aback and forth, hard decisions, because this is the only time in your career-you can't go back." sun lulu told the media, "it is not easy because you have played for a country for so long and you are used to representing the country. I lived there too, and it was very hard, but it was ahave to make."
Photo: Tennis NZ
late last year, the New Zealand Tennis Association informally approachedthe world's 132nd ranked playermade contact, followed by further discussions at the 2024 ASB Classic.
Switzerlandis a mature tennis country, with rich resources, a long history of tennis and many celebrities. AndNew Zealandexperienced the heyday of tennis in the 1980 s and 1990 s, but it has been increasingly difficult since then. At the same time, the New Zealand Tennis Association has limited funds and is unable to provide a high level of performance.
then,
what makes Sun Lulu choose New Zealand?
"(I want to) represent the country to which I belong."
(To represent a country that I am a part of.)
Sun Lulu said in his first interview after the transfer was confirmed.
"It's important to be able to lift New Zealand tennis, to motivate other players and (I hope) to be able to do that for the country." Sun Lulu said, "Can have the opportunityto participate in the Olympic Gamesis also a very special thing."
pictures from sun lulu Instagram.
it is reported that,New Zealand Tennis Associationhas developed a financial programme using private donors to help Sun Luluto pay tour fees, there will be no major shortfall in the money compared with the funds provided by the Swiss Federation.
Sun Lulu also said that she has sincere feelings for New Zealand, which was consolidated during the 2024 ASB Classic because she received huge support during the qualifying period.
, I was affected.fans., this experience inspired me." Sun Lulu said.
it is reported that the Swiss Tennis Association is happy to keep Sun Lulu with them, but they are "deeply sorry" for what has happened-Alessandro Greco, the association's director of competitive sports, said: "Lulu is pursuing her own private development... Wewishes her good luck in her future journey!"
Greco also stressed that every step of the way was "transparent and correct" and that he was always informed. At the same time,Sun Lulu reimburses the Swiss Tennis Association for the money it invested in her..
Photo: Newstalk ZB
Sun Lulu's New Zealand Childhood Memories
"farm, jungle, horseback riding, feeding rabbits..."
talked about his connection with New Zealand, Sun Lulu mentioned himself's childhood memories in Tiannau.
"(in Tiannau) are basicallyFarm Life, there are cows, chickens and sheep." She said, "I'll help my sisterpicking up eggs, collecting vegetables and the like, riding horses, feeding rabbits...... There's not much around, just forests and farmland."
picture is sun lulu in new zealand fjord. Photo from Sun Lulu Instagram.
At the same time, as Grandma still lives in Tiannau, Sun Lulucame home often for years.
"Most of my memories are spent in nature with my family." She said, "We visited all the famous attractions, but I also spent time hiking and camping in the jungle and getting our hands dirty."
Sun Lulu also said that he also likes New Zealand's sports culture and will watch it when he has time.All Blacks match.
"I love that people are not only passionate about sports, they love everyone.is also passionate about nature and protecting the environment."
pictures from sun lulu Instagram.
was born in New Zealand, moved to Switzerland, the United States to study, the global competition......this New Zealand Chinese mixed-race girl step by step, from a small town in New Zealand to the world, to meet their own infinite possibilities.
"Ididn't expect to get to this point.." Sun Lulu said, "But I have been playing one game at a time."
was certified by the Professional Tennis Association as the third in the world.Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipasposted on social media:"the only sun this week is Lulu."
tomorrow (July 10), Sun Lulu will start her next match,against Croatian tennis player Donna Veki?.
Photo: SofaScore
for this already accomplished
young tennis player,
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* This article refers to the public information of The NZ Herald,1News,Tages-Anzeiger,Archysport and other media.
