Tennis: Erakovic continues to improve

Marina Erakovic. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand tennis player Marina Erakovic has made the quarterfinals of her fourth successive ITF tournament.

Erokovic has continued her recent winning form today, beating German fifth seed and world No 184 Laura Siegemund 6-1 4-6 6-1 in the second round to reach the quarterfinals of the US$25,000 ($32,400) ITF tournament in Jackson, Mississipi.

Erakovic, who beat American Alexandra Mueller 7-5 6-2 in the first round, will face top seed Jan-Yung Chan, of Taiwan, in the semifinals.

Erakovic has now made the quarterfinals twice and won twice in her four tournaments.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Artem Sitak and partner Nima Roshan are through to the doubles final at the US$15,000 Futures tournament in Alabama.

They beat Sweden's Daniel Danilovic and American Joshua Zavala 7-6 6-4 in the semifinals. Sitak and Roshan meet Americans Taylor Flogleman and Benjamin Rogers in the final.

In Australia, New Zealanders Rubin Statham and Michael Venus are through to the quarterfinals of the singles and doubles finals of US$15,000 Futures tournament in Bundaberg.

Statham beat Australian Jonathon Cooper 6-4 6-7 6-1 in the second round and faces third seed Erik Chvojka of Canada in the quarterfinals.

Venus went up against 14-year-old Australian Thanasis Kokkinakis in his second round match, taking the first set 7-1 in a tiebreak before winning the second set convincingly 6-1. Second seed Venus now plays Austrlian Matt Reid in the quarters.

After an easy first round win against Kyle Stoker (Australia) 6-0 6-3, New Zealander Marcus Daniell went down 7-6 6-1 in the second round to Australian Michael Look.

In the doubles, Venus and Reid knocked out top-seeded Australians James Lemke and Dane Propoggia in the semifinals 6-3 3-6 (10-7). Second seeds Statham and Chvojka beat Chris Letcher and Brendan Moore of Australia 5-7 6-1 (10-5).

At the same venue, Sacha Jones is through to the quarterfinals after beating Japan's Yurika Sema 6-4 6-3 in the second round.

- NZPA