Tennis: Erakovic nears top 150 players in world

New Zealand tennis player Marina Erakovic's first round win at the ASB Classic in Auckland has bumped her further up the world tennis rankings to a career-high 153.

Ranked 162 in singles before the tournament, the 18-year-old Croatian-born New Zealander's win over former Classic champion and world No 90 American Meilen Tu was good enough to push her up nine places on the latest WTA Tour rankings.

Erakovic gave another former Classic champion, Greece's world No 36 Eleni Daniilidou, a fright before being beaten 6-4 2-6 6-4 in the second round.

Erakovic's stated aim for 2007 is to break into the world's top 100 players.

Her doubles ranking remains at 274.

- NZPA