KEY POINTS:
Marina Erakovic was a winner on the tennis court yesterday ... and off it too.
Her three-set triumph over ASB Classic top seed and Russian world No 22 Vera Zvonareva was the highlight, but she also scored a win over her father, Mladen, in the battle to select the radio station they would listen to on the drive from their St Heliers home.
"I won that one too," said a beaming Erakovic, 19, after the tennis win, in front of a capacity centre-court crowd at the ASB Tennis Centre yesterday.
"I wanted to listen to ZM - dad wanted some other station."
Erakovic is tipped for bigger things.
After the New Zealander's win over American Ashley Harkleroad on Wednesday, tournament second seed Maria Kirilenko predicted Erakovic had a good chance of beating Zvonareva.
Kirilenko's coach, Eric Van Harpen, went further, tipping Erakovic as a potential top-30 player.
Tournament director Richard Palmer was thrilled with the 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) win, the highlight from a local player in his 12 years in the role.
"To have a Kiwi into the semifinals is something special," he said.
Her proud father said the victory would "do her a lot of good".
"She stayed cool under pressure. "This is the best I've seen her play."
Her mother was just as ecstatic.
"She is not a junior any more," said Liliana Erakovic before going home to prepare a special dinner - fresh fish - for a special daughter.
Erakovic will play unseeded Aravene Rezai of France in today's semifinal.
