KEY POINTS:
The barren patches of concrete said it all. Where a packed, cheering stadium eagerly watched her every serve and swing last year - including thousands more crowded around television sets at home - this year saw mottled stands as spectators sprawled across the terraces.
The Gods were not
smiling on 20-year-old Marina Erakovic when the ASB Classic draw was made last Saturday, bringing her to an early face-
off with the tournament's top seed and world number four Elena Dementieva.
Indeed, it was enough to douse last year's tennis fever before it began.
Entering the stadium for the mid-afternoon match, one naysayer seemed to sum up the nation's mood when he folded his arms, shook his head and said gruffly, "Not a chance, mate."
But as the women took to the court, dressed in fiery shades of red and orange, you couldn't help but hope their outfits might foreshadow the battle ahead.
A fierce, hotly fought game that might just see the underdog reign triumphant.
As the crowd relaxed back to watch the practice rally, both players pranced and bounded around the court, like restless race horses waiting to enter the gate.
Erakovic was first out, earning proud smiles from the home crowd as she notched up the first point on the scoreboard.
But the relief was short-lived as her usually strong serve failed her, and she hit double-fault after double-fault.
Not even the darkest of sunglasses could hide the winces that reflected through the stands.
But then the impossible happened. She won the first game. And suddenly, the fait accompli didn't seem quite so accomplished.
It wasn't enough to earn rapturous applause, but it certainly piqued interest as the stoic crowd inched forward for closer inspection.
A young boy broke the hush, calling out encouragement to his local favourite as the scoreboard read 2-1, to Dementieva.
As the game got fiercer - and Dementieva's grunts grew louder - a sense of excitement grew as more encouraging voices joined the boy, echoing "Go Marina" from stand to stand.
But they couldn't hide Erakovic's yelp of frustration as the clock counter ticked toward the hour mark, and she lost the first set 6-2.
As the second set began, to quote those fellow Kiwi champions Flight of the Conchords, it was Business Time.
Even the ladies-who-lunch set put down their pink daiquiris, which had been flowing non-stop for well over two hours, to give the game their full
attention.
Once again, Erakovic started strongly, leading the game. But instead of hushed silence, the crowd chatter grew as people pondered aloud the chance of history repeating.
A double-fault from Dementieva revealed the Olympic champion was rattled as she muttered something incomprehensible in her mother-tongue.
And then, suddenly and without warning, the game changed. No longer tennis, the crowd found themselves watching ping pong as the women refused to give up the game point, bouncing advantage from one side of the court to the other.
Deuce. Advantage. Deuce. Advantage. Deuce.
And on it went, for an inordinate amount of time. Somehow the point became more important than the match itself, as the crowd collectively held their breath with each fiercely fought rally.
Again, Erakovic prevailed, winning the point and the game. Which unfortunately was the last moment of glory for our champ in this competition. From there, it was a swift journey to defeat as Erakovic took two medical time outs before returning to court for the final, fleeting, two games.
As her final shot sailed way off course and out into the stands, it was an ignominious end to an otherwise hard-fought battle.
But as the saying goes, he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day.
