New Zealand tennis player Lulu Sun is philosophical going into her first-round match at the Australian Open.
Sun ranked 43rd in the world faces Danke Kovinic from Montenegro in her match and feels she just needs to find her rhythm to progress further in tournaments such as the Australian Open where she lost in the first round in 2024 as a Swiss player.
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"The end of the year was quite tough due to injuries. This year is really a restart. I'll be playing in the WTA tournaments which means the schedule you know what you're going to get so you can plan it easier. The goal is really to improve and get consistent," said the 23-year-old.
"In every tournament you want to do well and go far. I really want to get the consistency and get the rhythm and push the play and if I do that I can go far."
As for her opponent, Sun isn't overly familiar with Kovinic who has a WTA outside of the top 1000 due to injuries, but has been as high as 46 and entered the Australian Open with a special ranking in the 90's.
"She hasn't really played a lot of tennis recently either. I haven't really seen her play that much. So I'll look into that."
Sun hasn't won a match since she pulled out of the US Open in August last year. She lost in the first round of the ASB Classic and at the Hobart WTA tournament.
Her first-round match is scheduled for Monday.
In doubles Michael Venus and Croatian Nikola Mektic who won the doubles title at the ASB Classic by walkover are seeded fifth.
The New Zealand and Canadian combination of Erin Routliffe and Gaby Dabrowski have arrived in Melbourne and intend to play.
Routliffe has been suffering with a rib injury which kept her out of the ASB Classic.
They're second seeds in the tournament but face the tough pair of Americans in Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawcyk.