Tennis: Erakovic advances to quarters

Marina Erakovic's good season continued when she knocked out seventh seed and world No 74 Irina Falconi to progress to the quarter-finals of the US$220,000 WTA Challenge Bell event in Quebec City, Canada this morning.

The Kiwi tennis No 1, ranked 85 in the world, beat the American 6-3 2-6 6-2. She will now play top seed and world No 25 Daniela Hantuchova or Melinda Czink in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Rubin Statham was ousted from the second round of the US$35,000 Challenger event in Ningbo, China when he lost to stonian Jurgen Zopp 4-6 2-6. He had earlier beaten former top 100 player Jan Hernych to progress to the second round.