By DAVE WORSLEY
Marina Erakovic yesterday became the first person to hold the 14, 16 and 18-year national junior tennis titles in a calendar year, winning the 18s title by thrashing North Harbour's Tanja Markovic 6-0, 6-0.
The loss was the third in a row for Markovic, who has been off with injuries for much of the season.
The final took just 51 minutes and made Erakovic, at 14, probably the youngest winner of the 18s title. She dropped just 15 points in the match, proving too powerful off the ground for her opponent.
In the boys' final, Daniel King-Turner's consistency defeated the erratic Henry Gers 6-0, 6-1 in just 49 minutes. The battle of the top two seeds was a good lead-up to the start of today's New Zealand Residentials championships, also at North Harbour.
Erakovic, fifth seed in the Residentials, could face third seed Ilke Gers in the quarter-finals.
Second seed and four-time winner of the national senior title, Leanne Baker, is likely to face former doubles teammate Rewa Hudson in the quarter-finals.
Erakovic should make it through her first-round match against fellow junior Brittany Teei from Auckland and then play either Wellington's Nicola Kaiwai or Otago's Paula Ferguson in the second round.
Top seed in the 32-woman draw is Shelley Stephens, who has a bye in the first round. She will play either Libby Batley or Julia Erakovic in the second round.
The men's draw is one of the largest, with close to 60 players entered.
Defending champ Simon Rea is the top seed ahead of recent Auckland title winner Robbie Cheyne from Wellington.
Third seed Alistair Hunt won the event in 1994 and, at 30, is a veteran.
He is due to meet Jacob Olsen in the last eight.
Fourth seed Lee Radovanovich will play either North Harbour's Kevin Doh or Canterbury's Ari Lakakis. If Radovanovich makes it to the quarter-finals he is expected to meet G.D. Jones, the sixth seed.
King-Turner is unseeded and has a bye through the first round, but could be dangerous.
Nick Lane and Matt Prentice have both been playing in the United States college system and will be difficult for any seeds they meet early on.
Tennis: Erakovic takes age-group treble
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