Kiwi tennis player Marina Erakovic has got off to a winning start to the WTA Texas Open in Dallas.
Erakovic had a lengthy 2hr 51min victory over Britain's Anne Keothavong 6-1 5-7 7-6(9) in the first round of the singles draw at the US$220,000 event yesterday.
Both players had difficulty with their serve; Erakovic had nine double faults, while Keothavong had 13 as they also suffered from low first serve percentages.
However, Erakovic was able to stay in the vital points just a bit longer than her opponent to grind out a win.
It is the second time in two months that the 24-year-old Erakovic has defeated Keothavong. She beat her in the first round of the Carlsbad tournament in California last month.