Teenage tennis star Marina Erakovic will honour a pledge made by her parents to play in the women's international tennis tournament in Wellington next week.
The 15-year-old Aucklander yesterday accepted a wildcard to the ASB Bank International at the Renouf Centre from February 4-8.
"She was scheduled to play last year, but
pulled out because of injury and her parents (Liliana and Mladen) vowed she'd be back. I'm thrilled they were true to their word," tournament director Kevin Wilson said.
It will be Erakovic's first appearance in an open professional tournament after she turned down the higher-level ASB Classic in her home town earlier this month.
At 13 in the world she is the highest ranked junior in New Zealand tennis history.
"Not playing in the ASB (Classic) was a big plus for us because she will get that first exposure to open play (in Wellington)," Wilson said.
Despite her undoubted class, Erakovic, who was eliminated from the second round of the Australian Junior Open today with a 6-3 6-2 loss to Germany's Angelique Kerber, will not be the favourite in Wellington.
Defending champion Lauren Breadmore ranked 277 in the world, and Taipei's world no 299 Chuang Chia-Jung who was beaten by France's Amelie Mauresmo in the first round of the Australian Open, will be the top two seeds.
"It's a different ball game when they start the senior circuit, but you could not count her (Erakovic) out," Wilson said.
A New Zealand woman has never won an International Tennis Federation event on home soil.
Wilson has awarded the other three wildcards to two other 15-year-old Aucklanders, Shona Lee (who was beaten 6-3 6-4 by Vojislava Lukic in round one of the Australian Junior Open yesterday) and Joanna Carswell, plus 17-year-old Wellingtonian Makere Bradnam.
The remaining eight spots in the main draw will be filled through qualifying.
- NZPA
