KEY POINTS:
Marina Erakovic's chances of gaining direct entry to the Beijing Olympics took a substantial step forward yesterday when she won a US$50,000 grass court tournament in England.
Third-seeded Erakovic beat British player Anne Keothavong, the No 4 seed and world No 96, 6-4 6-2 in the final of the Surbiton tournament to pocket her ninth ITF singles title.
When she reached the second round of the French Open last month, it equated to a jump of about 10 spots on the world rankings from her pre-Open place of No 80.
The points from Surbiton should bump her up to around the low 60s. The expected cutoff for 56 direct entries to the Olympics is 68 - allowing for players absent through injury and with the restriction of four per country cutting out several others.
The International Tennis Federation is expected to advise national associations which of their players are eligible for direct entry on Thursday.
Earlier, Erakovic had beaten Belgian 98th-ranked Yenina Wickmeyer 6-0 6-4 in her semifinal.
Erakovic is playing the DFS International at Birmingham, which starts tonight, where she has drawn Canadian Stephanie Dubois, ranked 15 places behind her, in the first round.
The 20-year-old Aucklander is then contesting the Ordina Open at s'Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, as her final leadup to Wimbledon, which starts on June 23.
