Lulu Sun Shocks Daria Kasatkina at the Lexus Eastbourne Open

In a thrilling opening round at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, held on June 23, 2025, Lulu Sun delivered a stunning upset by defeating Daria Kasatkina, the tournament's top seed and defending champion. The match showcased Sun's resilience and skill on grass, culminating in a score of 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.

This year’s Eastbourne Open has attracted considerable attention, particularly due to its significance as a precursor to Wimbledon, the most prestigious grass-court tournament in tennis. The performance of players at Eastbourne often serves as an indicator of their readiness for the challenges of Wimbledon.

Sun, currently ranked World No. 46, entered the tournament with a challenging season record of 6-15. However, her recent performance demonstrated a marked improvement, particularly on grass, where she expressed her enjoyment of the unique playing conditions. In a post-match interview, Sun remarked, "I really enjoy playing on grass; it's a really unique time of the season."

The match against Kasatkina was marked by dramatic momentum shifts, with Sun initially racing to a 4-0 lead before Kasatkina responded strongly, winning five consecutive games. Yet, Sun managed to regain her composure to close out the first set, despite facing a set point at 4-5.

Meanwhile, Alexandra Eala, a qualifier, also made headlines by winning her first tour-level grass-court match in impressive fashion, defeating Lucia Bronzetti 6-0, 6-1 in just 61 minutes. Eala’s performance included a series of remarkable shots, showcasing her potential as a rising star in women’s tennis. The 20-year-old Filipina demonstrated her capabilities by executing a brilliant drop shot and a forehand down the line that ended a lengthy rally.

In another close encounter, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova exhibited exceptional tenacity by saving six match points against Viktoriya Tomova. The match, which lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes, saw Pavlyuchenkova fight back from a disheartening position in the tiebreak, where she faced a 6-1 deficit. Her perseverance paid off as she ultimately won 6-1, 6-7(5), 7-6(7), booking her spot in the next round.

Looking ahead, Sun will face Anna Blinkova, who overcame Marie Bouzkova, while Eala is set to meet either former champion Jelena Ostapenko or British No. 3 Sonay Kartal. Pavlyuchenkova’s next challenge will be against either No. 4 seed Sofia Kenin or qualifier Kimberly Birrell.

The results from the first round underscore the unpredictability of the sport and set the stage for an exciting tournament as players gear up for Wimbledon. As the competition progresses, the performances at Eastbourne will be closely scrutinized by fans and analysts alike, providing insights into players' form ahead of the grass-court Grand Slam.