22 Jun 2015

Erakovic makes main draw at Wimbledon warm-up

7:19 am on 22 June 2015

New Zealand tennis No.1 Marina Erakovic has qualified for the main draw at Eastbourne - the main women's warm-up tournament for Wimbledon.

New Zealand tennis player Marina Erakovic

New Zealand tennis player Marina Erakovic Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Erakovic claimed the scalp of the world number 41 Australian Daria Gavrilova, who was the highest ranked player in qualifying, in a three-setter that went down to the wire.

Gavrilova surprisedly dropped the first set in a tiebreak before choking and losing to the 90th ranked Erakovic, who won 7-6 2-6 6-4 in 167 minutes.

Erakovic will face Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova, who's ranked 48th in the world, in the first round at Eastbourne.