Donna Vekic expressed the lesson of perseverance after overcoming challenging times to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon on Tuesday. The Croatian defeated New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to advance and will now face either Jasmine Paolini or Emma Navarro for a spot in the final. Vekic, 28, had faced setbacks including knee surgery in early 2021 and struggled with motivation, particularly before this year’s French Open. She described the journey as tough but credited her support system for helping her stay resilient.
“It was a very, very tough moment, but they were all there for me. That loss in Paris was so, so painful. But it motivated me again to keep working, to keep pushing,” Vekic said.
Reflecting on her recent story, Vekic emphasized, “I guess to never give up. It’s not easy at times. Yeah, I had to really dig deep inside and push myself.”
In the quarter-final match against Sun, Vekic recovered after losing the first set and dominated the rest of the match, winning 16 consecutive points at one stage and securing victory in a little over two hours. Sun, who made a remarkable run from qualifying to the main draw, acknowledged the unforgettable experience of her Wimbledon journey and the support she received from fans.
“Even on the first day against Zheng Qinwen, I thought that court was huge and the people were loud,” Sun said. She highlighted her memorable match against Emma Raducanu on Centre Court, describing it as a surreal experience with immense energy from both New Zealand and other fans.
“I think just energy from New Zealand fans and other fans, as well, is such a surreal moment for me that I definitely won’t forget,” Sun added.
