New Zealanders are stealing tennis talent from us: that’s what’s behind Lulu Sun’s basket for Switzerland

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Lulu Sun (22) celebrated her furious start to the year with her Grand Slam premiere at the Australian Open under the Swiss flag – now the Genevan has disappeared. The New Zealand association’s courtship of the left-hander has never stopped since late last year. Now the native New Zealander with a multicultural background – her mother is Chinese, her father Croatian – has finally decided in which country she will spend the first five years of her life.

Six years after Rebeka Masarova (24) moved from Basel to Spain, Swiss Tennis is hiring a new talent. Sun, who first moved to Florida after leaving New Zealand and moved to Lake Geneva at the age of eight to get a good education, had been supported by the Swiss association for years. Their progress has been clearly visible lately. In addition to her Grand Slam debut in January, she is currently ranked better than ever at number 151 in the world. In the Swiss comparison she is third behind Belinda Bencic (26, WTA 57) and Viktorija Golubic (31, WTA 72).

An Olympic ticket beckons

Sun would have become a real option for the Billie Jean King Cup team of Heinz Günthardt (65). But instead of playing for Switzerland (against Poland), Sun will now play for the “Kiwis” in China in April. “She would have been a reinforcement to the team in the short term – and possibly even more so in the long term,” says Günthardt, who has been in contact with both the player herself and her father in recent weeks.

Sun still chose New Zealand, which reportedly made her an offer too good to refuse. In one fell swoop, she is the clear number one in women’s tennis in her native country, because the best-ranked Monique Barry (21) is currently ranked 650. Sun also has a permanent place in the Billie Jean King Cup team. In addition, she can hope to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris (in July) through a continental quota place. And the financial conditions should have been good too.

In other words, Sun got such a good offer that Swiss Tennis couldn’t keep up. And: I didn’t want that either. Unlike New Zealand, which is in no man’s land, at least in singles, Switzerland has a certain number of players, all claiming their place in the structure.

Sun repays the financing

Günthardt explains that promising Sun a permanent place on the Billie Jean King Cup team or an Olympic recommendation is simply ‘not possible’. Especially because the national competition with the currently pregnant Bencic, veteran Golubic, former number 21 in the world Jil Teichmann (26, WTA 187) and the future prospects Céline Naef (18, WTA 163) and Simona Waltert (23, WTA 186) are too well known .

Nevertheless, the regret at Swiss Tennis is “very great”, as Alessandro Greco, head of elite sport, says: “Of course it would be in our interest to be as broad as possible. It’s a shame that this nation change has happened. Nevertheless, we wish Lulu the best of luck on her future journey.” Greco also emphasizes that the events of recent weeks have been “transparent and correct”. He was always kept informed every step of the way. Sun also pays back the money invested in it.

“Sincerely grateful”

Sun explains himself as follows: “I grew up in Switzerland and carry the love for both countries in my heart. For me, representing New Zealand is more than just a professional decision; it is an acknowledgment of my roots.” She is “genuinely grateful” to Switzerland, but recently felt drawn to her other home country.

The WTA 250 tournament in Auckland early this year, where rumors of a country change first emerged, was a decisive factor: “The overwhelming support and feeling of being embraced by an entire country strengthened my deep bond with New Zealand and my feelings,

At Swiss Tennis we respect this decision. At the same time, however, Sun has to learn to live with the fact that she now has to travel halfway around the world for every home match – and that the pressure on her as the new figurehead will be enormously greater.

Source : Blick