The story of Lulu Sun is a true tennis fairytale. The qualifier from New Zealand has reached the quarterfinals in a stunning fashion. She will now face the unseeded Donna Vekic. Sinner and Medvedev will square off with each other. Sinner has won the last five matches between them.
Donna Vekic from Croatia is currently ranked at the 37th spot in the world. Her highest ranking so far was at number 19, five years ago. This is her first quarter final at Wimbledon and she has bever been beyond the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam. The 28 year old has been a pro since 2012 and she has won four titles. Lulu Sun (Born Radovcic to a Croatian father) still hasn’t won a title on the tour. The 23 year old Sun in the beginning her tennis pro journey. And what a journey it has been for her at the All England lawn tennis club. She won three matches in the qualies and four in the main draw.
In the first round of the main draw Sun got the better of Zheng in three sets (4-6, 6-2, 6-4). In the round of 64 she won against Starodubtseva in three ets (4-6, 6-3, 6-2). In both of her first two matches she came back to win after being a set down. In the third round she defeated Zhu in two close sets (7-6, 7-6). The blockbuster was in the round of 16 when Sun faced off with the home hope, Raducanu, and won In three sets (6-2, 5-7, 6-2). Vekic started out in the opening round by beating Wang in three sets (3-6, 6-3, 6-4). In second round she got the better of Erika Andreeva in straight sets (6-2, 6-3). In the round of 32 she won against Yastremska in three sets (7-6, 6-7, 6-1). In the fourth round she defeated Paola Badosa in three sets (6-2, 1-6, 6-4).
The head two head between these two players is unusual and interesting. They have played each other 11 times on the tour and Medvedev is up 6-5. He won the first six matches and Sinner has won the last five. This will be the first encounter on grass. The last seven matches between them have either been a final or a semifinal. They are used to playing big matches with each other. Sinner has had a great 2024 with his first Grand Slam title (Australian Open, def. Medvedev) and becoming the world's number one for the first time. Medvedev, the current world number five, and former world number one (Feb, 2022) has won one Grand Slam (US Open 2021) and he is a three time finalist at the Australian Open. 2024 hasn’t been his best year but he is looking more comfortable in the grass than ever before. He reached the semi final last year at Wimbledon and lost to Alcaraz in straight sets.
Medvedev won against Kovacevic in straight sets (6-3, 6-4, 6-2) in the opening round. In the second round he got the better of Muller in four sets (6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 7-5). In the round of 32 he defeated Struff in four sets (6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6). The match against Dimitrov in the fourth round was a short one. Medvedev was up 5-3 in the first set when Dimitrov gave up due to injury. SInner got the better of Hanfmann in the opening round in four sets (6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3). In the second round he won against his compatriot, Berrettini, in four sets (7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6). In the round of 32 defeated Kecmanovic in straight sets (6-1, 6-4, 6-2). In the fourth round he played Ben Shelton and won in straight sets (6-2, 6-4, 7-6).
