Vekic Stages Remarkable Comeback Against Sun To Enter Wimbledon Semi-Finals
Donna Vekic has advanced to the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time in her career after overcoming Lulu Sun. Vekic, who had previously lost two grand slam quarter-finals in straight sets, rallied to defeat the qualifier 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 on Court No.1 on Tuesday.
Sun started strong, showing resilience in the fourth game of the opener by holding out through 10 deuces and defending break points three times. She capitalised on this momentum, breaking Vekic in the 11th game and securing the first set.
The second set saw a shift as Vekic maintained an aggressive serve, eventually gaining her first break and holding out to force a deciding set. The Croatian continued her momentum into the third set, winning 10 consecutive points to take a 3-0 lead before securing another break.
Despite Sun's efforts, she could only avoid a bagel with her final service game before Vekic sealed the match. Sun has spent the most time on court in the women's draw so far but fell short of becoming the first qualifier to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon since Alexandra Stevenson in 1999.
Vekic's victory marks her first grand slam semi-final appearance in her 43rd major main-draw participation. In the Open Era, only four players have reached their first semi-final after more attempts. This tournament has seen Vekic's matches frequently go the distance, with this being the fourth time and second instance of coming back from a set down.
She will face either Jasmine Paolini or Emma Navarro in the semi-finals. The official Wimbledon Twitter account celebrated her achievement: "Dazzling Donna @DonnaVekic comes from a set down to defeat Sun 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to reach her first semi-final at #Wimbledon!"
Dazzling Donna @DonnaVekic comes from a set down to defeat Sun 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to reach her first semi-final at #Wimbledon! pic.twitter.com/xFh9hHnj1N
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2024
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