Tennis qualifier Lulu Sun put in a remarkable performance on Centre Court as she knocked out Emma Raducanu at Wimbeldon. GETTY IMAGES

Tennis qualifier Lulu Sun put in a remarkable performance on Centre Court at Wimbledon as she knocked out Emma Raducanu to reach the quarter-finals for the first time ever.

In a touching moment, Sun, who holds the 123rd world ranking, wept after her stunning 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory over the 21-year-old British wildcard. After Raducanu had levelled the match and regained some confidence thanks to an inspired performance from Sun, she slipped on the baseline in the opening game of the third set.

The 2021 US Open champion remained on the grass, shaking her head, before slowly getting up. Play was stopped at 15-30 on Raducanu’s serve, and she was treated for her leg and back while lying on the court. Though it was her opponent who went on to book her place in the quarter-finals.

Sun, 23, hails from the secluded town of Te Anau, situated near the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island. A modest celebration erupted at the local tennis club in the early hours of Monday as her latest victory at Wimbledon was revealed.

Greg Sheppard, the president of Te Anau Tennis Club, shared that he and about 20 members had been intently watching Sun's victory on the clubhouse television. "It was nerve-racking and very exciting," Sheppard told AFP.

Lulu Sun knocked out Emma Raducanu to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. GETTY IMAGES
Lulu Sun knocked out Emma Raducanu to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. GETTY IMAGES

"When she started crying, we had a few tears in the clubhouse too. It was quite emotional. We're fully pumped for her. It's unbelievable, something we have never had before. It'll be great to see Lulu when she is next home."

Sun, the daughter of a Chinese mother and Croatian father, grew up in Te Anau before moving to Shanghai and eventually settling in Switzerland. She played college tennis in the US and represented Switzerland until this year.

"I reckon if you dug a hole, you'd probably come out in Wimbledon. We are right on the other side," Sheppard joked "I got home around 7am and charged my phone up, I'd run out of battery twice. My phone has been ringing red hot.

"Hopefully it will be closer to the start of the night or at the other end, where we can have a cooked breakfast to go with our next match watching."

Sun will aim to become just the second New Zealand woman to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam, following Belinda Cordwell’s achievement at the 1989 Australian Open.