Tennis: Erakovic has good chance to progress at US Open

New Zealand tennis No 1 Marina Erakovic has fallen in three sets to the 7th seed in the second round of the WTA Premier Tournament in Cincinnati today. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand's Marina Erakovic has been handed a kind first-round draw at next week's US Open but life could get considerably more difficult if she progresses to the second round.

Erakovic, who is ranked 66 in the world, will take on 102nd-ranked Spaniard Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor in the first round at Flushing Meadow.

If she gets over that hurdle, Polish third seed Agnieska Radwanska, who won this year's ASB Classic, is her likely second-round opponent. Radwanska is taking on little-known Spaniard Silvia Soler-Espinosa in her first-round match.

Erakovic has enjoyed her most lucrative year on the WTA Tour, having banked US$453,174 to put her career earning beyond US$1.4 million, and collected her maiden WTA title in Memphis in February.

She also reached the third round at both the French Open and Wimbledon, equalling her best record at a grand slam tournament.

The 25-year-old has usually struggled at the US Open, having never progressed beyond the first round in three attempts (2008, 11, 12), but made the doubles quarter-finals with Jelena Kostanic Tosic in 2008.

It might be in the doubles where Erakovic's best hopes lie. She has played in three finals this year with Zimbabwean partner Cara Black, a former No 1 in doubles, as well as the French Open quarter-finals and it has seen her slot into No 32 in the doubles rankings.

The draw for the doubles has not yet been made.

For the second slam in a row, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are scheduled to meet in the quarter-finals, although that never eventuated at Wimbledon where Nadal lost in the first round and Federer in the second round.

Defending champion Andy Murray faces a potential semifinal showdown with world No 1 Novak Djokovic.

US OPEN DRAW