How a ten-year-old's relocation to Serbia reshaped her tennis destiny
In short: In 2020, Sun Xinran moved from China to Belgrade to pursue professional tennis. Now known as 'The Serbian Chinese Girl,' she has become a dominant force on the junior circuit, breaking records and challenging the world's elite in a meteoric rise from a five-year-old beginner.
Sun Xinran's ascent in professional tennis is marked by a strategic, long-term relocation. At just ten years old in 2020, her family and management team moved her to Belgrade, Serbia, to access specialized training. Under the guidance of head coach Goran Krivokuća, and alongside fitness coach Aleksa Martinov and coach Goran Životić, Sun has integrated deeply into the Serbian athletic community. This immersion is so complete that she is fluent in conversational Serbian and is frequently referred to by local media as 'The Serbian Chinese Girl.'
Her competitive success has been rapid and historic. Sun claimed a J300 trophy in Thailand during 2025, plus consecutive W15 wins in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Her breakthrough in junior Grand Slams followed in 2026, when she won the J500 Orange Bowl in Fort Lauderdale, becoming the youngest Chinese winner of a J500 tournament. She later made history at the Trofeo Bonfiglio, as the first Chinese player—regardless of gender—to win two J500 singles titles.
The 2026 season saw Sun transition from junior dominance to challenging the world's top players. She reached the girls' singles finals at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and eventually secured the 2026 US Open girls' singles title by defeating Anna Pushkareva in three sets. Her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the China Open saw her defeat 27th seed Cristina Bucșa before falling to world No. 4 Coco Gauff. On 31 August 2026, Sun hit a peak WTA singles ranking of world No. 599.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sun Xinran
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