ASB Classic: Kiwi Lulu Sun ready to handle expectations in Auckland

Lulu Sun during a practice session ahead of the ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport

Get ready for Lulu Sun fever at the ASB Classic.

Before she has even played a match, the New Zealander has created a tangible buzz around the event, with a sense of what might be later in the week.

That’s because Sun is a rare bird, one of a handful of Kiwis over the last few decades arriving at the tournament as a marquee player.

Genuine local singles hopes have been sparse over the years, with domestic involvement mostly limited to wildcard entries or plucky qualifiers.

But Sun is at a different level, with her image on billboards across the arena and around the city.

Her remarkable rise up the rankings – from No 212 to No 40 in a calendar year – puts her at third seed this week, viewed as a contender for the title.

That’s an unusual scenario.

Marina Erakovic was the local flagbearer for more than a decade between 2006-2018. She reached the semifinals in 2008 – with a memorable run – and had some other special moments, though didn’t always reproduce her best form in Auckland.

Before that, you need to go back to the likes of Brett Steven and Belinda Cordwell.

Steven carved out an impressive record here, reaching the 1996 final, after three consecutive quarter-final appearances. For a last hurrah, Steven also made the last four in 1999, topping Marat Safin and Wayne Ferreira on the way.

Cordwell reached the third round in 1988, then the final a year later, beating Conchita Martinez en route, before a semifinal appearance in 1989.

Whether Sun can follow those feats remains to be seen but she has left no stone unturned. She was one of the first players to arrive in Auckland – on December 20 – and has completed double sessions every day since, including on Christmas Day.

”It showed the commitment - she was on court four hours a day, time in the gym and treatment time on top of this,” said tournament director Nicolas Lamperin.

“So it is six or seven hours every day, that’s what it takes to be competing at the top level.”

Lamperin admits the presence of Sun is a game changer for the event’s profile, with heavy media and spectator interest.

That presents another challenge for the Te Anau-born player, given her steep rise from relative anonymity this time last year.

She has the right mentality – shown by how she handled things during her landmark Wimbledon quarter-final run – but it will be a good test.

”It’s something completely new for her so it remains to be seen how she will handle it, but she seems very grounded,” said Lamperin.

“She has a good team around her – much bigger than last year - and she is extremely professional. I don’t think it is going to be an issue for her.”

Lulu Sun during a practice session ahead of the ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport

Coach Vladimir Platenik echoed those sentiments when talking to the Herald on Monday. The off-season had gone well, and Sun was in a good space, both mentally and physically.

She has recovered from the hip and back issues that prematurely ended her season at the United States Open and is ready for another big campaign, albeit with a lot more ranking points to defend.

”Lulu has prepared really well,” said Platenik. “Now it is about time on court.”

Aside from the focus on “small details”, there has been work on game management and the ability to adjust tactics and strategy during a match. Sun looks well-equipped for ongoing success.

She is competent across all surfaces, with a strong serve and no shortage of power from the baseline. She’s also comfortable at the net. Now it is about consistency and reproducing her best form on a daily basis, starting with the first-round clash with veteran Canadian Rebecca Marino.

“[This year] brought a lot of confidence in my game and in my team,” said Sun. “[Now] I would love to compete at the highest level and stay consistent up there. A lot of times there are players who go up and then go down; being consistent at the top is a hard feat to do and I would like to do that.”

In qualifying action on Sunday, fellow Kiwi Monique Barry managed another impressive display, ultimately edged 7-5 7-6(4) by Lina Glushko. Glushko (No 221) was ranked almost 300 places higher than Barry (506) but that gulf wasn’t really evident for long periods.

Barry, who topped world No 137 Ena Shibahara on Saturday for a career-best result, was close to more success.

She had a set point at 5-3 in the first set – narrowly missing a shot down the line – before Glushko lifted, reeling off four successive games. Both players exchanged breaks in the second bracket, before the tie break.

After falling behind early, Barry came back to 5-4, before Glushko closed out the match to seal her main draw spot.

Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.