Tennis: Tiny, but she's a packet of talent

By TERRY MADDAFORD

At just 1.62m (5ft 3in), 14-year-old Marina Erakovic admits she is "pretty little for my age."

She also lacks the power and strength of many of her opponents.

How then does she beat them so often?

"I'm smarter," she says modestly and adds as a warning: "I'm just starting to grow."

The Glendowie College fourth former, who had her sixth birthday en route to New Zealand from her native Croatia, is already touted as one for the future - perhaps good enough to reach the top 50 or better in the WTA rankings.

Coach Mark Lewis has no doubt his young charge has what it takes.

"Technically she is pretty sound," Lewis said. "Her game has no real weaknesses. She is not the biggest player of her age, but mentally she is very strong.

"From a young age it was evident she had the potential to do very well."

Her outstanding effort in the Asia/Oceania qualifying zone team tournament in Indonesia last month, where she won her six singles matches in straight sets, dropping just 22 games, supported such claims.

Leading from the front, and with the backing of team-mates Joanna Carswell and Emma Hayman, Erakovic steered New Zealand into second place behind China to ensure their place in the 16-team world junior final in the Czech Republic in August.

A member of the ASB Bank-sponsored talent identification squad for the past six years, Erakovic has been coached since 1997 by Lewis and his brother, Chris.

"She has a great work ethic and has already made her mark, with victories in the Australian age-group championships showing out as the best of her age in the Oceania region," Mark Lewis said.

"The world junior championships will be her biggest test. It will be interesting to see how she performs against older players."

Lewis and Erakovic's parents carefully monitor her life on and off the course.

"Sure, she has thoughts of turning pro but we are taking things slowly. At this stage of her life we are very aware of the need to balance her sport and education," Lewis said.

Her father, Mladen, says there will be no rush for his daughter to take up a scholarship at an American university.

"That is something we would look at only if we felt she could get a better education there than here at Auckland University," said Erakovic, who encouraged Marina and her older sister, Julia, to play tennis as youngsters.

While he could comfortably beat his daughters in those days, he admits "no more."

Success for their daughters brings real pleasure for Erakovic and his wife, Liliana, an economics lecturer at Auckland University, who fled Croatia "to get away from the troubles."

But those on-court triumphs come at a cost.

"The budget for Marina to play this year will be between $20,000 and $25,000. On top of that there are many other costs, including coaching, which will probably cost another $4000-$5000," he said.

She enjoys support from the Peter Snell Institute of Sport and some sponsorship from the ASB Bank, but her father admits finding the necessary funding is a struggle.

Erakovic, who turned 14 in March, says her efforts in the Asia/Oceania qualifiers were probably the best series of matches she had played.

"They were played on clay, which I really like. Clay suits my game."

While she is also comfortable on hardcourts, she is no great fan of playing on grass, although she knows that might have to change if she gets the chance to play at junior Wimbledon.

"That is my long-term goal for next year," said Erakovic, adding that it was not a pressing priority. "I have time on my side."

She is often on court twice a day. Is there not a risk of too much tennis?

"Not really," she says. "I don't find it a drag. Mark and Chris don't push me too hard."

Neither, it seems, do her opponents.