Tennis: Erakovic going places

Whatever Marina Erakovic does for the rest of the year, her ranking will only improve. It's one positive by-product of nearly two years out of the game because of injury - she's got virtually no ranking points to defend.

How much further she continues to rise is entirely up to her. So far she has jumped 201 places to 123 since January's ASB Classic in Auckland. If rankings were assessed on this year alone, Erakovic would be No 81 in the world - just 32 places below her career best of 49 in 2008.

It's easier to jump from a low starting point but it's fair to say things have gone well for Erakovic in 2011. She didn't really know what to expect after nearly two years battling hip and wrist injuries that saw her ranking dive to as low as 748 in 2010.

Her run at Wimbledon, when she was ousted in the second round in the singles after coming through qualifying, and the semifinals of the doubles after getting a place in the main draw as a lucky loser, represents one of the best weeks in her career.

Not only did she reach the last four of a grand slam for the first time and see her singles and doubles rankings improve but her bank account also received a timely injection of $97,000. It's a bit better than the US$95 she banked at a similar time last year.

Erakovic will soon embark on the next phase of her season. On Thursday she flew to the US after nine days at home and plans to enter qualifying for the US$721,000 WTA event in Stanford. Her doubles ranking of 61 will allow her to enter the doubles main draw.

Qualifying for another WTA event in Carlsbad (US$721,000) will follow before she works out her next move. It all depends on her ranking and which tournaments will welcome her before an attack on US Open qualifying at the end of August.

But the fact she's back in WTA territory is a triumph. She started the year playing mostly $25,000 ITF events - she won three in a row in March and April - and might have expected to still be playing at that level. The 23-year-old has come to learn it's unwise to think too far ahead in tennis but her success has exceeded most people's expectations.

"Even before Wimbledon I was playing well," she says. "I'm aware of that and when that happens you get more confidence. I have won a lot of matches recently, which is nice. Getting to the semis and having a good Wimbledon makes you feel good and good about your tennis. The confidence comes up. The main thing is I know I'm improving and the things I'm doing are making sense.

"At the moment it makes no sense to play [ITF] 25s. I am playing good tennis and I can compete at that [WTA] level. The higher the ranking, the bigger and better tournaments you can play. My ranking can only go up this year. It's good that I didn't do well last year, ah?"

Erakovic will play doubles when she can, and she and Thai partner Tamarine Tanasugarn have already gained entry to the main draw at the US Open, but it's not something she's about to specialise in. You could say it's a good side earner.

"The singles is still the main thing," she says, "for now. That's my main goal. That's what I train for and work towards. The doubles comes second. But with a higher ranking you can play more doubles and bigger events so I will play doubles when I can."

Erakovic won't return home until October. Her ranking will determine whether she heads to Europe or Asia after the US Open. Interestingly, in a game where rankings represent opportunities, she doesn't look at the numbers.

"Once you go onto the court, rankings and points don't matter," she says. "You just have to play. I had a couple of tough years and I missed it. I realised this is what I want to do. You learn to appreciate what you have and enjoy those days you are healthy, you play well and are pain free. Even if things aren't great, you're still out there playing.

"I like to keep things simple and enjoy things, just be comfortable with where you are. At the moment, I am in a good place."