Tennis: Erakovic bounces out of US Open

Marina Erakovic. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand tennis No1 Marina Erakovic has been defeated in the second round of the singles at the US Open in New York.

Erakovic lost to Russian, Elena Vesnina 7-5 2-6 6-2 in two hours 27 minutes after looking comfortable in the first set at 5-2 ahead.

However the Russian then won her own serve to love and then stormed back into the match winning five games in a row to take the set and then the first game of the second set as well.

Erakovic then seemed to find her feet winning the set with relative ease as she broke her opponents serve four times.

"It's a tough loss. I think at that stage I was content to hit those balls back that was the error for me. She got into the game more and got a rhythm," said Erakovic "I felt I managed to get those balls back and rally with her. She took her chances and played more smart. I did my best to put it on my racquet."

Played in warm conditions with a breeze across the court both players held serve in the opening games of the final set before Erakovic was broken and then Vesnina ranked at 56 in the world compared to Erakovic's 82 traded service holds until 4-2 to the Russian.

Erakovic then served a double fault to give Vesnina a 5-2 lead before breaking her opponents serve to love which was perhaps an indication of the match, one moment a high and the next a low.

Erakovic was able to add one more game to her tally before Vesnina wrapped up the contest 6-4 in the final sets. Erakovic had been hoping to continue her run at the tournament where she beat former champ Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round, her first singles victory at the US Open.

"It's definitely a tough one today. I had my chances but also gave myself a chance. It's a learning curve. In the last three or four years I don't think I've been as well in the mental game."

In the doubles Mike Venus secured a win with his partner Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-2 3-0 retired over Spain's Feliciano Lopez and Juan Monaco. The later retiring with a wrist injury.

"It would have been great to finish the game, but it was just good to win. We started out tentative but played better the more were out there," said Venus who has now competed in all four Grand Slams in doubles this year.

The now play the Italian pair of Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi.