Marina Erakovic's progress towards being a fully fledged professional player continues to move ahead in leaps and bounds and 2005 has been a special year so far.
In the past few days the 16-year-old Aucklander has equalled her best results at a junior Grand Slam, reaching the quarter-finals of thesingles and winning the doubles at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
And it doesn't stop there. Today she flies to Wellington for the first of two US$10,000 events and then Blenheim the next week.
If she can win a first-round singles match in both she will earn a WTA senior ranking.
Her efforts in Melbourne have certainly put her in the spotlight, with her combined ITF junior ranking sure to improve from eight and her reputation even more enhanced.
And although Erakovic will play several senior events this year she will still look on the junior Grand Slams as important.
"It means a lot. You work hard and always like to play at Grand Slams - doubles or singles. It's a big thrill," she said.
"I want to play senior events and get my ranking right up. I want to be around 150 at the end of the year, but I still want to do well at the junior Grand Slams.
"I'm a little tired. But I'm looking forward to playing in Wellington. I did well there last year and Blenheim should be good too. It's nice to play in my home country."
Erakovic and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus were the second seeds in the doubles but were outstanding in their 6-0, 6-2 demolition of Nikola Frankova (Czech Republic) and Agnes Szavay (Hungary) in the final.
"We kept on being aggressive."
The win was Erakovic's second junior doubles Grand Slam title after winning at the United States Open last year with Michaella Krajicek.
