Lulu Sun’s return to Wimbledon after a remarkable run 12 months ago has been brief, knocked out this morning in the opening round.
The Kiwi world number 47 fell in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic, Sun’s fourth straight first-round exit at a grand slam.
Sun would have had high expectations of at least advancing to the second round after entering as a qualifier and reaching the quarter-finals last year, the first Kiwi woman to do so.
Her chances of repeating that run already seemed slim when she was put on the same side of the draw as number one seed Aryna Sabalenka, who Bouzkova will now face in the second round.
Bouzkova, ranked 48, reached the Wimbledon quarters herself in 2022, a career-best showing at a grand slam, and seemed an even match for Sun – being ranked just one place below her.
Marie Bouzkova defeated Lulu Sun in their first-round match on day one at Wimbledon. Photo / Getty Images
The pair squared off on court five on a warm evening in London, on a day in which air temperature on the grounds had reached 32.3C. It was still 31C at the end of their match.
The opening set went to serve until Bouzkovav got the vital break in the ninth game, her only break point of the set, before serving out 6-4.
In the second set, Sun earned an early break to be up 2-0 before Bouzkovav broke straight back in the next game and won the next four games to take a 4-2 lead. The Czech held strong to close out the match which lasted one hour 31 minutes.
Sun finished with 30 unforced errors compared to her opponent’s 11; and a first serve percentage of 51%. She had nine break points but converted just one.
Sun’s Wimbledon isn’t over, however. Her and doubles partner Leylah Fernandez open their account in the coming days against number six seeds Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs.
