Tennis: Injury setback for Erakovic

Marina Erakovic hopes to be fit in time for the French Open in May. Photo / AP

Leading New Zealand women's tennis player Marina Erakovic will be sidelined for about six weeks with a hip injury.

Erakovic returned home to Auckland yesterday, having withdrawn from the Sony Ericsson Open doubles championship in Florida following the diagnosis of a stress reaction in her left hip.

Her rehabilitation period will see her miss most of the WTA Tour claycourt events in Europe but world No 70 Erakovic hopes to be back on court to contest the French Open starting on May 25.

She is expecting to still be ranked in the top 100 by the ranking deadlines in April and May for the French Open and Wimbledon respectively, thus allowing her direct entry to those Grand Slam events.

Erakovic has endured a difficult year to date, last week losing her first round singles match in Florida 0-6 2-6 to Croatian Karolina Sprem.

Earlier this month she also suffered first round exits at the Indian Wells Open in California and the Monterrey Open in Mexico.

- NZPA