Tennis: Erakovic bows out of doubles draw

Marina Erakovic and her partner Polona Hercog were well beaten by top seeds Cara Black and Leizel Huber, 6-3, 7-6. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealander Marina Erakovic and Slovenian partner Polona Hercog put up a gutsy fight before falling to the world's top tennis doubles combination at the ASB Classic in Auckland today.

The wildcards had set point in the second set against American Liezel Huber and Zimbabwean Cara Black and then saved two match points before falling 6-3 7-6 (8-6).

Erakovic and Hercog also had a great chance to grab the first break in the opening set, when they had Huber down 0-40 on her serve in the seventh game.

Huber and Black, who have been ranked No 1 since November 2007 and have won four Grand Slam titles together, held and then broke Erakovic's serve for a decisive 5-3 lead .

Erakovic and Hercog, who reached the final in Istanbul in 2008, hit the front 2-0 in the second set when they broke Huber's serve, but the No 1 seeds leveled at 4-4.

The underdogs refused to give up and had the favourites at set point on Black's serve, but a Hercog lob drifted wide.

Down 2-5 and 4-6 in the tiebreak, Erakovic and Hercog came back to 6-6, but Erakovic double faulted before Black hit the final winner.

- NZPA