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PARIS - After a day and a half of rain delays it took New Zealand's Marina Erakovic just 2-1/2 minutes to book her place in the second round at the French Tennis Open in Paris.
Resuming her rain delayed match against Italian world number 56 Tathiana Garbin just after 2pm local time Wednesday, Erakovic prevailed 6-7, (9-11) 6-3, 6-3, breaking Garbin's serve to clinch the match.
It was a perfect game from the Kiwi number one, who scrambled in the opening point placing a sliced backhand lob over Garbin's head, 0-15. Garbin then served an ace before Erakovic forced a forehand error from the Italian, 15-30.
The Kiwi then pounded Garbin's backhand with some powerful forehands hitting a winner to bring up match point. When Garbin's forehand sailed out, Erakovic clenched her fists in delight; the prize a showdown with world number three and tournament favourite Jelena Jankovic in the second round.
"Obviously Jelena is a great player who made the semis here last year and she plays very well on clay, so I am just going to go out there and give it my best," Erakovic said.
The first New Zealand raised player to make the main draw of a Grand Slam since Brett Steven nearly a decade ago was delighted she showed greater composure than the vastly more experienced Garbin, when it counted.
"She was a little irritated that they didn't stop play sooner, (before the rain delay on Monday night) it was raining, and I thought it could work to my advantage. So I went for it and was able to break her in the third set and I was happy I was able to get on top of her mentally a bit."
Erakovic said it was a tough couple of days waiting to get out on court.
"Coming out today I was on the edge the whole time and it was a big relief to win. I knew I had to be loose and focused and swing at the returns and that's what I did," Erakovic said.
Erakovic will sit down with her coach Michiel Schapers to plot the downfall of the world number three. Schapers said an upset was not beyond the realms of possibility.
"I saw Jankovic's first match and there were some clues in that match and I will go over it with Marina and make plans about how to approach the match and I am very happy she gets a chance to play a match like this," Schapers said.
The Aucklander had heard there was a lot of interest in New Zealand and had been following her own fortunes on the internet.
"It's great that people back home are following and there's interest in tennis in New Zealand and hopefully there'll be more."
The 60 ranking points earned will see Erakovic close in on the world's top 70 at the end of Roland Garros. That's unless she beats the third seed, a result that will see her ranking soar much higher.
She's also guaranteed to take home 23,760 Euros ($47,000) for reaching the second round.
- NZPA
