'Welcome to Lulu land': Te Anau hopeful for December visit
“There has already been a lot of banter. Someone wants a sign on Gorge Hill saying ‘Welcome to Lulu land’. It’s a buzz."
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Te Anau Tennis Club officials are hopeful New Zealand’s latest sporting star will make a guest appearance at its annual invitational tournament in December.
Te Anau-born Lulu Sun has stunned many by becoming the first New Zealand female player to reach a quarter-final at the famous Wimbledon tournament.
Sun’s latest victory came on Monday morning [NZ time] with a three-set win over Emma Radacanu.
Te Anau Tennis Club president Greg Sheppard confirmed plans are already in motion to try to get Sun to Te Anau in December for a guest appearance at the club’s annual invitational tournament.
Sun played an exhibition match at the Te Anau tournament in 2018 when she took on British player Suzy Larkin.
Although an appearance six years on would come with much more fanfare given Sun has fast become a big name on the global tennis stage.
“I’d say it will be a really good chance, if she is back here. She will come along for sure,” Sheppard said.
“I don’t know if we will get an exhibition match out of her, but even if she was there to chat to the juniors and sign autographs. She will be wildly popular.”
“We’ll be in touch to see when she is next back. I’m sure she would love to pop in and say hi, she is just a lovely lady.”
It is likely Sun will be back in New Zealand in December to play in the ASB Classic in Auckland at the start of January, in the lead-up to the Australian Open that month.
The Te Anau tournament is held on December 28 and 29 each year and much will probably hinge on how that fits in with Sun’s possible ASB Classic commitments.
Sun lived in Te Anau until she was five when her family moved to Switzerland.
She grew up at her family's luxury spa, Takaro Lodge, which offers ancient Chinese treatments for relaxation and health.
The former hunting lodge about 30km north of Te Anau was transformed into a luxury retreat by Sun's family and in the early 2000s was also a NZQA-accredited training academy where students paid to learn energy work and healing techniques.
Her grandmother Aiping Wang still lives in the region, prompting Sun to make regular visits to Te Anau over the years.
Sheppard said the club has sent players to Takaro Lodge during Sun’s visits to provide some hitting partners for her training.
“She has [also] trained on our courts before with her coach. But the only official game she has played here [in Te Anau] was that exhibition match in 2018.”
About 20 Te Anau Tennis Club members gathered on Monday morning to watch Sun win her round four match at Wimbledon which started at 2.30am.
Plenty of media and general interest followed the victory as the small northern Southland town was shoved further into the spotlight as a result of Lulu Sun’s impressive feats.
“The phone is on the third charge and I’m fast running out,” Sheppard said about spending the early hours watching Sun win.
Sheppard said the town has embraced Sun’s Wimbledon run and he is confident it will continue as the Te Anau-born player now eyes a shot at a quarterfinal win.
“There has already been a lot of banter. Someone wants a sign on Gorge Hill saying ‘Welcome to Lulu land’. It’s a buzz,” Sheppard said about the pride in the town.
“It’s just so exciting. I think the draw is opening up for her, we are not too worried about the quarterfinals we are focusing on the semifinals and final now.
“You see how ice cool she is, she isn’t fazed. She is incredible.”
Sun’s quarterfinal will be against Donna Vekic from Croatia on Wednesday.