Chinese player Zhu Lin fell in the third round of the 2024 Wimbledon Women’s Singles to New Zealand-born Chinese player Sun Lulu, ending her bid for a maiden Round of 16 appearance at Wimbledon.
Sadly, Zhu failed to convert many break points during the match, commenting, “Out of the 15 break points I didn’t take, maybe only one or two were my mistakes. Most of the points were her direct winners. She was definitely more aggressive today, controlling the pace and playing with more determination. She performed exceptionally well and left me very little room for error.”
Reflecting on her own performance, Zhu said, “I’m relatively satisfied with how I played. If I tried to match her power, I wouldn’t have stood a chance. At the beginning of the match, I positioned myself a bit too forward and struggled with her shots. I really wanted to change the situation, incorporate some slice shots, but her balls were so heavy, it was difficult for me. I kept fighting, hoping for my chances, but there weren’t many opportunities for me.”
Despite being the higher-ranked player coming into the match, Zhu emphasized that rankings don’t determine outcomes and praised Sun’s display.
“A match doesn’t really depend on players’ rankings; it’s more about the state you bring into the tournament. She hasn’t played many Grand Slams, but what she did very well is that she wasn’t afraid to go for it on court, without any burden. I hope she can continue this form.”
Discussing their off-court relationship, Zhu shared, “We’ve practiced together before. I didn’t know she could speak Chinese, so I tried chatting with her in Chinese and found out her level is quite good, much better than many Chinese who grew up abroad. However, we haven’t had many chances to talk in depth yet.”
With both her singles and doubles campaigns now over, Zhu concludes her 2024 Wimbledon journey. She candidly remarks, “I won’t dwell too much on the disappointments because I gave my all in every match. I can’t control my opponent’s performance, and wins and losses are unpredictable. Actually, I think there were many positive aspects to this Wimbledon. I didn’t expect to make it to the third round.”
(Written and edited by Wang Fei)
