Tennis: Erakovic through to WTA tour final

Marina Erakovich. Photo / Getty Images.

The remarkable run of Kiwi tennis number one Marina Erakovic has continued at the WTA tournament in Rabat, Morocco.

The 28 year old Aucklander has won through to her fifth career final and will chase a second title against top seed and world number 15 Timea Bacsinsky of Switzerland tomorrow.

Erakovic has beaten Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 2-6, 7-6, 7-5 in a gruelling two and a half hour battle to come through her seventh match in as many days having started in the qualifying draw.

"In the beginning of the match I was trying to find my rhythm and find the right way to play and it took me a while but I just kept chipping away and it paid off. It's nice to win those sorts of matches, it's very tough and challenging but it does mean a lot." Erakovic told Radio Sport.

Ranked 186 coming into the tournament, Erakovic will improve to around 125 if she loses the decider and close to the top 100 with a win.

It's a huge boost for Erakovic who has struggled with injuries and poor form over the past year and kick starts her clay court season ahead of French Open qualifying next month.

"It's quite a few matches it's like a Grand Slam but day after day, but it's a nice feeling and nice to know I can get through these challenges and play a lot but the body is holding up well." Erakovic said.

Erakovic won her only WTA title at Memphis indoors in 2013 and has also been runner up in Memphis and twice in Quebec City.

But this is her first clay court final and she will be up against it against Bacsinsky who reached the French Open semi finals last year.

"I know Timea and we used to play juniors together and played a match last year at Indian Wells which was a tight three setter." (Bacsinsky won 4-6, 6-3, 6-2). The Swiss player also beat Erakovic in three sets at the Australian Open in 2007.

"She has had an amazing last couple of years so going into this she is definitely the favourite but I have to keep doing what I do, be aggressive as I can, and go after it because there won't be any hand me downs."

Regardless of the result Erakovic is most happy with her health and fitness after a couple of years being injury prone.

"That's the number one thing, the Doctors and physios have been telling me it will take a quite a while even though there's not play but it's about getting used to the match play and travel again." Erakovic said.

Meanwhile Kiwi doubles players Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell have lost their semi final at the ATP tournament in Istanbul 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 to Argentines Andres Molteni and Diego Schwartzman.