Lulu Sun ends losing run with first round win at Abu Dhabi Open

Lulu Sun celebrates victory over Caroline Garcia of France during their match on day two of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi tennis player Lulu Sun has ended her losing run that went back to August, with a first round victory at the Abu Dhabi Open.

The world number 45 beat Caroline Garcia of France 6-1, 6-3 overnight, setting up a round of 16 clash with either eighth seed Leylah Fernandez or Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.

The New Zealander, who made the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, hadn’t won a match since mid-August when she lost in the Abierto GNP Seguros final in Mexico which saw her surge to number 39 in the world.

Since then she struggled with first round exits at the US Open, China Open, ASB Classic, Hobart International, Australian Open and last week’s WTA event in Linz - all defeats against players ranked below her in the world rankings.

But she came out firing in Abu Dhabi against the world number 76, who has 11 career titles and played more than 800 WTA matches, winning the first round clash in an hour and 15 minutes.

Sun got a break in the third game of the first set with an impressive forehand winner. A second break then set up the first set win. Sun had two break point chances in the second set and only needed one to claim the advantage in the match, leading to a straight sets win, her first since August 22.