New Zealand tennis number one Marina Erakovic has been knocked out of the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland in a 3-set thriller, by German Angelique Kerber.
Erakovic won the first set 6-4, but Kerber took the second by the same scoreline, as both players struggled to hold serve.
The Aucklander looked the more dominant player in the decisive third set, but it was Kerber who held her nerve to break at 5-4, then the 2011 US Open semi-finalist served out the match with a love game.
Kerber next faces countrywoman and tournament fifth seed Julia Goerges (PRON Ger-giss), who eliminated defending champion Greta Arn of Hungary.
