Rising Sun riding high into Olympics debut after fairytale Wimbledon run

At the start of 2024, only the most committed of Kiwi sports fans would have been familiar with the name Lulu Sun.

Fast forward six months, and the NZ-born, Swiss-raised tennis sensation has become one of the hottest properties in Aotearoa on the back of her fairytale feat at arguably the most iconic sporting tournament on the planet.

The 23-year-old qualifier sent pundits worldwide scrambling for a search engine with her historic run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, becoming the first Kiwi women's singles player to reach the final eight while leaving the likes of former US Open champion Emma Raducanu and 2024 Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen in her wake.

Sun's underdog story was embraced by fans and media across the planet, with the likes of the The Athletic and Washington Post profiling her remarkable campaign at just her second Grand Slam.

Sun banked NZ$812,193 for her efforts - more than she'd earned in her professional career to date - propelling her world ranking from No. 123 to currently No. 55.

The University of Texas graduate is now in Paris, where she's preparing to embark on another childhood dream with a maiden Olympics appearance.

Speaking to SENZ Breakfast, Sun admits it all still feels very surreal.

"Sometimes I feel like it wasn't real," Sun confessed. "Just being able to play there was a core memory.

"Just seeing all the players and being able to also play on these big courts, it was insane. Then the massive support as well that I've received and keep receiving.

"Even at Wimbledon, there were New Zealanders that were supporting there. I already thought that was insane. But then my family and friends were like, 'look at this' New Zealand and Te Anau and the whole of New York (getting behind you).

"It was so amazing and so incredible to receive that kind of support."

Her exposure at Wimbledon and resulting enormous leap in the rankings have opened plenty of doors already for Sun, who now has the luxury of being able to lock down a schedule without the need to jump over the qualifying hurdles she used to.

And, as you'd expect, Sun's self-belief has received an equally large boost.

"I've definitely racked up confidence in myself and also in my game," she said.

"Over the course of the year, I've just been kind of slowly developing and slowly improving in every aspect. Right now I just feel, even more, the need to keep doing that."

That taste of success has left Sun hungry for more, making her Olympics debut perfectly timed.

She seems to have the ideal formula for the podium alongside partner Erin Routliffe, whose own run to the Wimbledon final earned her the world No.1 ranking for women's doubles players.

"It's every athlete's dream to be an Olympian and not everyone has that opportunity," she noted.

"I'm just super, super grateful to be in this position, to have the opportunity to go for a medal with Erin and just to be a sponge and sink everything in.

"For experience, but also to have that pride to represent tennis and to represent New Zealand as well.

"She's super easy-going and she's super fun. On court, she's had a lot of experience, and she's been having a really great season.

"I think she's going to be my guide. I'm going to be her Padawan."

The famed Roland Garros - host of the French Open - will be the venue for the tennis at Paris 2024, the first time it's been held on clay since Barcelona 1992.

Listen to the full interview: