Swiss-Kiwi qualifier Lulu Sun has continued her head-turning run at the听ASB Classic听鈥� and is fast becoming a local favourite.听

Sun, who听was born in Te Anau and lived in Southland听until she was five, drew a large crowd to her first round match on the outside court against fellow qualifier McCartney Kessler, with plenty of local support for the 22-year-old.听

The world No 214 duly delivered, with an impressive 6-4 6-3 win over the American and admitted she was enjoying the experience here.听

鈥淚 was like wow, so surprised, to see so many people - so touched,鈥� said Sun. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen people come and support me which is great and I am really honoured for that.鈥�听

Sun was a relative unknown at the start of the week but no longer. That鈥檚 partly because of her results 鈥� as she has battled through qualifying to make the second round 鈥� and also due to Sunday鈥檚 revelations that she is considering a switch of allegiance from Switzerland to New Zealand.听

That鈥檚 an exciting possibility, as she would instantly transform this country鈥檚 tennis prospects, given her obvious trajectory. Discussions with Tennis New Zealand are in the formative stages and it鈥檚 hard to imagine they could match the financial support on offer from the Swiss federation but there may be other factors that make a move appealing.听

Kiwi born player Lulu Sun in action during the ASB Tennis Classic. Photo / Dean Purcell听

But that is a decision for a later date. For now, Sun is relishing a great start to 2024, only the second time she has progressed past the first round of a WTA level event.听

鈥淚 am happy about that because it means I have progressed, I鈥檝e beaten players that have been on top so I鈥檓 pretty pleased about that,鈥� said Sun, referring to Sunday鈥檚 win over Viktoria Hruncokova who has been ranked as high as No 43.听

Her only previous WTA main draw appearances came at Rabat, Morocco (May 2022), Granby, Canada (August 2022) and Seoul (September 2022).听

The event in Korea was her career highlight, as she came through qualifying to reach the quarter finals, before being stopped by then world No 24 Ekaterina Alexandrova.听

Regardless of what happens from here, her feats in Auckland this week will improve her ranking by at least 25 places, to inside the top 200.听

Aside from some wobbles midway through the second set, Sun dominated Tuesday鈥檚 match. She only dropped three points on serve in the first set, as Kessler was under much more pressure. The next set was tighter 鈥� as Sun got a bit looser 鈥� but she always looked more likely, sealing the match with her fourth break.听

鈥淚 had a little blip on the second set, a little nervousness but then I overcame it,鈥� said Sun. 鈥淚t is always good to play [in qualifying] because then you get your momentum going throughout the matches that you play, so in main draw you are like, I have already been here.鈥�听

In the second round on Thursday Sun will face either eighth seed Varvara Gracheva (No 43) or another qualifier, Czech Tereza Martincova (No 155).听

Before that she will be in action in doubles on Wednesday, alongside young Kiwi Jade Otway. That was a welcome bonus - 鈥淚 was like, we can sign in, but I鈥檓 not sure we鈥檒l get in, because my doubles ranking is not that high鈥�, as was the subsequent match up with New Zealand duo Monique Barry and Elyse Tse.听

鈥淚鈥檓 glad we got in and it鈥檚 kind of surreal that we鈥檙e playing two other Kiwis, that鈥檚 kind of funny,鈥� said Sun.听

Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America鈥檚 Cup campaigns.听