Lulu Sun’s Wimbledon run takes her to meet 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu in action against Elina Svitolina. Photo / Photosport

There are few who know what it takes to win a Grand Slam out of obscurity better than Emma Raducanu.

The Brit won the 2021 US Open singles title as a teenager in one of the greatest triumphs by an unknown in tennis history.

New Zealand’s Lulu Sun will be hoping to continue her meteoric rise at this year’s Wimbledon when she meets Raducanu in their fourth-round match on centre court on Monday (2.30am NZT).

Raducanu has not dropped a set in her opening three matches at the tournament, but told BBC Sport she is wary of the threat that Sun poses.

“Qualifiers are dangerous. She’s had three extra matches here at Wimbledon and she is not to be underestimated.”

Sun is the first woman in the Open era to represent New Zealand in the fourth round of Wimbledon and has already caused a stir after upsetting eighth seed Zheng Qinwen in her opening match.

Lulu Sun hopes to continue her story at Wimbledon. Photo / Getty Images

Raducanu is ranked 135th in the world, after missing a chunk of tennis in 2023, including Wimbledon, after having surgery on both wrists. Sun by comparison is ranked 123rd. The pair are the lowest-ranked competitors left in the women’s singles bracket but both will receive a bump in rankings following their performances.

“The preparation doesn’t change I don’t think, you just take it opponent by opponent,” said Raducanu.

“I’m expecting her to be really dangerous and come out swinging so it’s going to be a really tough match.”

Raducanu has been in the headlines for another reason over the weekend after she made the decision to withdraw from her mixed doubles match with Sir Andy Murray.

Murray is understood to be disappointed with the news as it brings his Wimbledon career to an end.

Murray and Raducanu had been scheduled to face Marcelo Arevalo and Shuai Zhang in Saturday’s final slot on Court No 1 but Raducanu said on Saturday lunchtime (UK time) that she was withdrawing due to stiffness in her wrist ahead of her fourth-round clash with Sun early next week.

Through her withdrawal, Raducanu put a sudden and controversial end to Murray’s storied Wimbledon career.