29 Aug 2012

Erackovic loses at US Open to French teenager

11:39 am on 29 August 2012

The New Zealand tennis number one Marina Erakovic has lost her first round match at the US Open in New York, beaten in straight sets by a French teenager ranked almost a hundred places below her.

Erakovic, the world No 54, was beaten 7-5 6-4 by wildcard entry Kristina Mladenovic who's ranked 150 in the world and not won a singles match on the circuit this year.

Erakovic will now play doubles with Briton Heather Watson.

Meanwhile the Olympic tennis champion Andy Murray says a player strike of next year's Australian Open would damage the sport but won't comment on the likelihood of a strike going ahead.

Murray says the players are united in their push for an increased percentage of revenue from major championships but hopes a strike won't happen.

Murray was speaking after his first round win at the US Open in which he beat Russian Alex Bogomolov Jr in straight sets.

Strike action was first proposed at player meeting before this year's Australian Open leading to a public rift Rafael Nadal and world number one Roger Federer.

Murray led a parade of favourites into the second round including Roger Federer, three-times champion Kim Clijsters, and women's top-seeded Victoria Azarenka hardly breaking sweat.