Preview: Lulu Sun vs. Donna Vekic -to-head, tournament so far

By Anthony BrownPublished: 08 July 2024 8:31 PM
Last updated: 08 July 2024 9:09 PM

Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s Wimbledon quarter-final match between Lulu Sun and Donna Vekic, including predictions, head-to-head and their tournament so far.

Two first-time Wimbledon quarter-finalists Lulu Sun and Donna Vekic battle on Tuesday for a place in the women’s singles last four.

Sun overcame home hope and a partisan Centre Court to defeat Emma Raducanu, while her Croatian opponent got the better of Paula Badosa in the previous round despite three rain delays.

Match preview
© Reuters

Even though the majority on Centre Court were cheering for Raducanu in Sunday’s fourth-round match, they must have silently been amazed at the qualifier’s fearless conviction in the last 16.

Sun hit a staggering 52 winners in her 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory against the returning wild card, who was enjoying her joint-deepest run on the lawns of Wimbledon and was seeking a first quarter-final at SW19.

However, the qualifier had other ideas to extend her undefeated run on grass to seven (including qualifying matches) becoming the second-lowest ranked player (No. 123) in the previous 15 editions to reach the last eight in the women’s draw, with Serena Williams’s 2018 ranking (No. 181) even lower.

The first qualifier since Kaia Kanepi (2010) and seventh in the Open Era to make the women’s quarters has nothing to fear heading into Tuesday’s match on No. 1 Court, keen to continue her heart-warming run at this year’s Championships in only her second Grand Slam appearance.

Sun looked undaunted against Raducanu last time out, and she will count on the heavy hitting that had the Briton on the back foot to carry her through to a historic semi-final.

Standing in her way is another first-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist, who finally made it through against Badosa after several rain delays.

Vekic claimed a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory over her Spanish opponent on Sunday to finally make the last eight at the Championships on her 10th try.

The 28-year-old, like her opponent, has had to go the distance in all but one match en route to reaching her third Grand Slam quarter-final and a first since last year’s Australian Open, with her second-round win over Erika Andreeva the exception for the world No. 37.

It remains to be seen if that mars the older player’s ambition to reach the semi-final of a major for the first time, but she will back herself to keep digging in at the Championships.

Tournament so far
Lulu Sun:

First round: vs. Zheng Qinwen 4-6 6-2 6-4
Second round: Yuliia Starodubtseva 4-6 6-3 6-2
Third round: Zhu Lin 7-6[4] 7-6[6]
Round of 16: vs Emma Raducanu 6-2, 5-7, 6-2

Donna Vekic:

First round: vs. Wang Xiyu 3-6 6-3 6-4
Second round: vs. Erika Andreeva 6-2 6-3
Third round: vs. Dayana Yastremska 7-6[4] 6-7[3] 6-1
Round of 16: Paula Badosa 6-2 1-6 6-4

Head To Head
Both players understandably have never met on the WTA Tour, with Vekic honestly admitting to knowing little about her opponent in the lead-up to Tuesday’s match.

Having hit a staggering 52 winners against Raducanu – the highest tally in a women’s singles match this year – it remains to be seen if that ultra-aggressive approach is advantageous against her Croatian opponent.

We say: Sun to win in three sets
Both players have gone the distance in three of the previous four rounds leading up to Tuesday’s match-up, and this quarter-final should be no different.

Sun already showed controlled aggression and composure in the face of an understandably partial crowd, keeping her buoyed to extend her seven-match winning streak on grass.

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