Lulu Sun believes historic Billie Jean King Cup success will fuel her WTA ambitions

Lulu Sun celebrates after defeating Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew to seal New Zealand's qualification for the play-off round of the Billie Jean King Cup. Photo: Maharashtra State Tennis Association

Lulu Sun believes her experience at the Billie Jean King Cup over the past week will be a timely boost, as she heads back to the week-to-week challenge of the WTA tour.

Sun was the lynchpin of the New Zealand team that took out the Asia/Oceania group 1 qualifying event in India, finishing top after a round robin format against five other nations. That sealed their ticket to the World Group playoffs, to be held in November.

It was a historic effort – the first time New Zealand has progressed beyond the regional stages since 1993 – and Sun was at the heart of it, unbeaten in singles and doubles in the event. While the level of her rivals varied across the week, the match play – in tough conditions, with temperatures about 35C at times – was invaluable.

“I’m slowly starting to get back [to my level],” said Sun. “It definitely helps with a lot of matches this past week. It’s nice to get in those competitive matches, as well as with high ranked players as well. Obviously not top 20, but each player has their own strengths and weaknesses and you can have to manage with the different styles of play, during the week. [My level] is slowly starting to get better and better and really just trying to even improve even more.”

After her brilliant 2024 – which saw her named WTA newcomer of the year, as she rose more than 150 ranking places – Sun had a difficult start to this year. She was fourth seed at the ASB Classic but was knocked out in the first round by Canadian veteran Rebecca Marino, before another swift exit at Hobart to Sofia Kenin. Her Australian Open experience was similarly brief – an opening round defeat to Danka Kovinic. All up, Sun only won one of her first nine matches across eight tournaments.

Lulu Sun in action during the 2025 ASB Tennis Classic. NZME photograph by Dean Purcell

But there was a breakthrough at Indian Wells last month – regarded as the fifth major – as she defeated two top 40 players to reach the third round, before the Billie Jean King Cup experience. Now Sun can focus on her first full European clay season, after only playing Roland Garros last year, with Madrid, then Rome and Strasbourg, ahead of the French Open. Beyond that focus will turn to grass, when Sun will revisit the scene of her amazing Wimbledon run last year – and have a lot of ranking points to defend.

“I can take a lot from last week,” says Sun. “That’s what I was looking for, getting some consistency, getting a lot of matches.”

Sun has played on some grand stages but admits that the last week in Pune was special, as New Zealand took on South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the host nation. She enjoyed the team atmosphere and being the leader of a young group. She also bonded well with New Zealand No 2 Monique Barry – as they paired up for the first time and achieved doubles success, while it was satisfying to grab a slice of history. “Before we started any matches in the week our goal was to qualify that’s what we wrote down,” said Sun. “it’s always an amazing feat to accomplish the goals that you set out to do.”

Sun’s achievement – winning five singles and two doubles matches was especially meritorious, given the brutal conditions and the fact she was sick on the eve of the event.

“Managing the mental aspect of it was tough,” said Sun. “I knew beforehand my body is not 100%, but I’m going to manage through and try my best.”

November World Group playoffs, at venue to be confirmed, will see seven groups of three nations compete across a round robin format, with the group winners progressing to the World Group qualifiers next year.

Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.