Tennis: NZ pair handed tough Wimbledon task

Sacha Jones. Photo / Dean Purcell

New Zealand tennis players Marina Erakovic and Sacha Jones have been handed taxing first round matches as they begin their quest to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon.

Erakovic, who is now ranked 145th in the world after a string of recent good results including reaching the quarterfinals of the Birmingham Classic last week, will face Chinese Taipei's Yung-Jan Chan tonight (NZT).

Chan, the world No.95, is the second seed for the qualifying tournament at the Bank of England Club in Roehampton, London.

Erakovic, 23, who has risen six places in the latest world rankings, takes to court 15 at midnight (NZT) in her quest to reach the main draw for the third time.

Jones will face Ukraine's Olga Savchuk, ranked 63 places ahead of the 210th-ranked Auckland 20-year-old, early tomorrow morning (NZT) as she seeks to make her first appearance at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

- NZPA