Marina Erakovic life and biography

Marina Erakovic, a native from Auckland, New Zealand who now resides in Split, Croatia is a tennis player who turned pro in 2006. She is a two-handed backhand, who is ranked World No. 61 (as for Nov. 21, 2011) and is the only New Zealand player in the top 100 of either the WTA or the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

Erakovic received a wild card into the 2008 ASB Classic where she defeated World No. 67 American Ashley Harkleroad in the second round 7–6(5), 7–5, and defeated the top seed and World No. 22 Russian Vera Zvonareva 6–3, 2–6, 7–6(5) in a quarterfinal. She lost in the semifinals to World No. 90 Frenchwoman Aravane Rezaï 6–3, 7–5. Erakovic was the first New Zealander to reach the quarterfinals at this WTA event since Belinda Cordwell in 1990.

Erakovic lost in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open.

At the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, Tennessee, Erakovic won five qualifying and main draw matches before defeating Russian Alla Kudryavtseva in the quarterfinals 4–6, 6–3, 6–3. She then lost to Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals 6–0, 6–3. Following this tournament, Erakovic's world ranking entered the top 100 for the first time.

Erakovic lost in the first round of qualifying for the Tier I Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California.

At the Tier I Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, Erakovic initially was awarded a wildcard into the qualifying portion of the tournament but was upgraded to a main draw wildcard after a withdrawal. Erakovic defeated World No. 34 Michaëlla Krajicek of the Netherlands in the second round 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 to set up a third round match with Venus Williams. Erakovic then lost the match 6–2, 6–1.

Erakovic then lost in the second round of the ITF Circuit tournament in Monzón, Spain, the first round of the Tier IV Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Fes, Morocco, and the first round of the Tier III Istanbul Cup. In doubles, Erakovic and Polona Hercog were the runners-up at the Istanbul Cup.

At the French Open, World No. 80 Erakovic defeated World No. 56 Tathiana Garbin in the first round 6–7(9), 6–3, 6–3 before losing to third-seeded Jelena Janković in the second round 6–2, 7–6(5). She was the first New Zealand-raised player to make the main draw of a Grand Slam singles tournament since 1993.

On grass, Erakovic won the Surbiton tournament in London, her ninth career ITF singles title, and then reached the semifinals at the DFS Classic in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which was her third career WTA tournament semifinal.

At the Ordina Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, Erakovic lost in the second round of the singles competition but won her first WTA doubles title with partner Michaëlla Krajicek.

At Wimbledon, Erakovic played her second career Grand Slam singles tournament. She defeated Krajicek in the first round and Julia Görges in the second round before losing to Tamarine Tanasugarn in the third round 4–6, 6–4, 6–4. She was the first New Zealand player to reach the third round at Wimbeldon since Belinda Cordwell in 1988.

Erakovic lost in the first round of five consecutive tournaments after Wimbledon. She played for New Zealand at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, where she lost in the first round to wildcard Ayumi Morita from Japan. At the US Open, Erakovic lost in the first round to Pauline Parmentier of France 6–3, 7–6(2) but reached the doubles quarterfinals with new partner Jelena Kostanić Tošić. This was the first time a New Zealander had reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament in either singles or doubles since 1994.

Erakovic began her 2009 season by participating in the 2009 ASB Classic. Playing in Auckland, in her home country of New Zealand, she ended her run of first-round exits by defeating Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain in the first round 7–5, 6–4. In the second round, she lost to top-seed Elena Dementieva of Russia 6–2, 6–3. At the Moorilla Hobart International, she was defeated by fourth-seeded Zheng Jie, 6–1, 4–6, 6–1 in the first round.

At the 2009 Australian Open, in her first participation in the event, Erakovic advanced to the second round by beating Petra Cetkovská 6–4, 7–5. In the second round she was defeated in a lengthy 2hr and 16min 3 setter by Lucie Šafářová 6–1, 3–6, 9–7.

In February, at the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, Tennessee, Erakovic defeated American players Julie Ditty 7–6(4), 6–0 and Melanie Oudin 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 before falling to Britain's Anne Keothavong 2–6, 6–1, 2–6 in the quarterfinals.

At the 2009 Monterrey Open in Mexico, a new event on the WTA tour, she lost in the first round to Maria Kirilenko, 4–6, 3–6. She also played doubles at the event with Šafářová, losing in the semifinals to the Czech pair of Iveta Benešová and Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová.

At the 2009 BNP Paribas Open, the first Premier Mandatory event of the year on the WTA Tour Erakovic lost in the first round to Tsvetana Pironkova 4–6, 1–6. She was then soundly beaten in the first round of the next Premier Mandatory event of the year, the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open by qualifier Karolina Šprem 0–6, 2–6.

Due to an ongoing hip injury, Erakovic missed the 2009 French Open. She has also withdrawn from Wimbledon with the same problem. Erakovic launched an official website in June 2009.

Erakovic competed in singles and doubles at the 2010 ASB Classic, losing in the first round in both events. She then competed at the 2010 Australian Open, losing to eventual semi-finalist Li Na in the first round. In doubles she and partner Casey Dellacqua lost to 11th seeded Russian pair Alla Kudryavtseva and Ekaterina Makarova in the first round.

Erakovic's next tournament was the 2010 PTT Pattaya Open where she again lost in the first round of the singles, however she and partner Tamarine Tanasugarn won the doubles title, Erakovic's fourth.

Erakovic started her year with the 2011 ASB Classic in Auckland where she was a wildcard receiver. She lost in the first round against Elena Vesnina, 2–6, 2–6.

In the 2011 Australian Open she defeated Irena Pavlovic in the first round of qualifying draw, but lost round 2 to Kurumi Nara.

Erakovic took part in the 2011 French Open where she won 3 straight matches in the qualifying draw against Ajla Tomljanovic, Kurumi Nara and Petra Cetkovská, qualifying her for the main draw. In the first round of the main draw she lost 6–2 4–6 4–6 to Arantxa Rus.

At the qualifying tournament for Wimbledon, she qualified for the main when her opponent in the final qualifying round, Silvia Soler-Espinosa, was forced to retire due to injury.

Erakovic was beaten in the first round of the US Open by Mirjana Lučić after having come through 3 rounds of qualification.

Following the US Open, Erakovic entered the Bell Challenge held in Quebec City. This was Erakovic's most successful WTA tour event to date, in singles, as she made it through to her first singles final. To reach the final she defeated Caroline Garcia, Irina Falconi, former top tenner Daniela Hantuchova and defending champion Tamira Paszek. In the final she lost to first time champion Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová.

In 2012, Marina won her opening match at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday night, Jan. 16 beating Irena Pavlovic of France in two sets. Despite the score, the match was close. Erakovic won 6-4 and then 7-6 on a 7-4 tie break.

Read more