KEY POINTS:
New Zealand tennis player Marina Erakovic has drawn a tough first round opponent in the Hobart International in a bid to find some form before the Australian Open.
Erakovic will square off tomorrow against China's Jie Zheng, the world No 24 and tournament fourth seed.
Zheng is coming off a memorable year on the WTA, highlighted by a semifinal appearance at Wimbledon after she upset the then-world No 1 Ana Ivanovic.
Erakovic, ranked 68th in the world, would have hoped for an easier passage through the first round in the US$220,000 tournament, a week out from the Australian Open.
After an off-season break, the 20-year-old exited in the second round of her home tournament, the ASB Classic in Auckland, with a 6-2 6-3 loss to top-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva, the eventual winner.
Erakovic battled abdominal and neck injuries in Auckland last week and required an extended medical break for courtside treatment during the second set against Dementieva, but insisted they wouldn't keep her out of the Hobart tournament.
She is guaranteed a start in the main draw of the Australian Open because of her world ranking.
Italian Flavia Pennetta and Swiss Patty Schnyder, both world top-15 players, are the top seeds in Hobart.
- NZPA
