Lulu Sun reignites her fire in Jingshan

Under Jingshan’s autumn light, the hard courts thrummed with possibility as Lulu Sun locked in on championship point. Her serve carved through the still air, an ace sealing her first WTA 125 crown against China’s Ma Ye-Xin. The 24-year-old, whose 2024 Wimbledon surge as a qualifier had stunned the tennis world, had weathered a wrist injury that derailed her momentum late that year. Now, with eight aces and just four points lost on serve in the final, she turned the page on a 2025 marked by struggle.

Navigating shadows of a tough return

Sun’s reentry into competition felt like tracing lines on a rain-slicked court, her ranking dipping to No. 146 after dropping eight of her first nine matches this year. That 10-21 tour-level ledger weighed heavy, a far cry from the qualifier’s dream where the former Wimbledon quarterfinalist Lulu Sun toppled Zheng Qinwen and outlasted Emma Raducanu. Yet seeded third here, she rediscovered her baseline command, the outdoor hard courts’ pace amplifying her one–two combinations of booming serves and deep crosscourt forehands. Each practice session chipped away at the doubt, her groundstrokes regaining the snap that once echoed across Wimbledon’s grass. The crowd’s murmurs built as Sun dismantled 17-year-old former junior No. 2 Tyra Caterina Grant 6-3, 6-2 in the opener, her inside-out forehands exploiting the American’s positioning to force hurried replies. Ma Ye-Xin, ranked No. 234, mirrored that grit elsewhere, stunning No. 4 seed Jodie Burrage with layers of underspin that turned defense into sudden down-the-line strikes. In the semifinals, the 26-year-old clawed back from 5-1 down in the third set to edge No. 2 seed Talia Gibson 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, her net rushes disrupting the Australian’s rhythm amid rising humidity. Sun, too, advanced by reversing an early lapse to upset No. 1 seed Alexandra Eala 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, looping topspin backhands that pushed the Filipino deep and opened angles for inside-in winners.

Clash of power and cunning unfolds

The final simmered as a test of wills, Sun’s serve variations—kick and slice bending off the hard bounce—disrupting Ma’s returns and setting up aggressive follows. Ma countered with tactical depth, her crosscourt patterns stretching Sun side to side, but the New Zealander’s footwork held firm, redirecting pace into offensive volleys at the net. Local fans leaned forward, their cheers swelling with each prolonged rally, the air thick with the scent of determination and distant rain. Sun’s eight aces not only preserved her service games but ignited her confidence, transforming a season of whispers into a roar of validation. As the match tipped decisively, Ma’s earlier resilience gave way under the pressure, her underspin slices skidding short against Sun’s advancing baseline fire. This triumph, woven from adjusted patterns and mental steel, signals more than a ranking boost—it’s a pivot toward the tour’s elite stages, where her height and leverage could unsettle top seeds once more.

Doubles crowns a regional rivalry

The doubles final added layers to the week’s narrative, pitting Hong Kong’s Eudice Chong and Chinese Taipei’s Liang En-Shuo against compatriots Lee Ya-Hsin and Cody Wong Hong-Yi. The No. 2 seeds navigated a tight 7-6(4) opener before breaking through for a 6-2 second set, Chong’s crisp volleys pairing with Liang’s steady returns to control the net. Fresh off their Changsha title three weeks prior, the duo claimed their second WTA 125 trophy in a month, while Lee and Wong marked their debut final with spirited resistance. For Sun, this singles breakthrough lingers as the highlight, a hard-court reset propelling her into autumn’s opportunities with renewed velocity.