New Zealand tennis sensation Lulu Sun spent weeks running in the snowy mountains in Slovakia to improve her fitness heading into Wimbledon, and her coach put her astronomical rise down to her hard work, including improving her mental game.
On the eve of her historic quarter-final against 37th-ranked Croatian Donna Vekic, Sun's coach Vladimir Platenik said she was ready for what's expected to be a fast-paced match.
"Lulu is on a wave, and we don't want to fall off the wave now," he told 1News.
"I'm just so happy for Lulu because she really deserves it. She is super excited and super motivated."
Europe Correspondent Mei Heron spoke to Sun's coach Vladimir Platenik in London. (Source: Breakfast)
Sun began the tournament ranked 123rd in the world and has moved up 70 places to sit at 53rd.
Platenik, a former Slovakian professional tennis player, has spent the last 20 years coaching, including coaching Dominika Cibulková, a 2014 Australian Open finalist.
He started coaching Sun in October last year.
"Lulu I would say is an introvert, a really shy girl. In the beginning I saw her and she had a very powerful shot, but her intensity was very low," Platenik said.
But heading into Wimbledon, she has had "unbelievable preparation", including spending six weeks in the mountains in Slovakia running in the snow.
Now, Platenik said, it's all about the mental game.
"She understands she cannot be negative after making a couple of mistakes," he said.
"Sometimes Lulu wants to be too perfect … this perfection was killing her because she only wanted to hit winners, and she was only happy with the point if she hit a winner.
"Now I think she understands it has to be a mixture, and she's more patient and playing more correct technique."
Playing at a Wimbledon quarter-final will be Sun's most high-profile match of her career, and absorbing the pressure will be a key to her success.
"A lot of parents, coaches, and the media, they say 'go enjoy yourself' and I don't like it," Platenik said.
"Because it's telling your player if you lose, it's fine. It's not fine. You don't want to lose. But I say go, give your best. I tell her little tricks she needs to do: look at me, push yourself, activate the legs like Rafa, watch the ball, [and] be focussed on the ball."
Sun, who was born in Te Anau, represented Switzerland before changing allegiance to New Zealand this year. Reflecting on her upbringing, where she travelled a lot, Platenik said having New Zealand behind her has helped propel the young star.
"She never had a home … I think now it feels good for her to have that support, and it feels really good to be number one in your country," he said.
"We're all human, we all live on social media, and you see how many people are cheering for her and 1 million comments after articles — it gives you a good feeling."
You can watch Wimbledon live and free on TVNZ+
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