Fear Marina

Hey everybody. Before I get into the Wednesday report, I updated the last two posts with pictures, so check them out if you’re interested. Always a pleasure never a chore to put a picture with every post, I dig it.

The big news today is that Kiwi Marina Erakovic won her second round match, oh snap. It was fantastic, she played out of her skin to beat Ashley Harkleroad 76 75. Great match, quite even, Harkleroad even had a set point or two. But Marina did so well, staying cool, keeping her errors down and serving strong to win the day. And boy did the fans love her for it. First New Zealander in the final eight of the Classic since 1990 I heard. Regardless of what happens tomorrow this is a big accomplishment for Marina, and I really hope she can get into the top 100 one day. I love how she wears her socks pulled up like a boy.

Anabel Medina Garrigues did give Lindsay Davenport a little test, but Auckland’s favourite mother still looks pretty unstoppable after an impressive 61 46 60 victory. When asked about baby Jagger in her post match interview Lindsay said that he had gone to sleep at 8.30 the previous night and slept until 7.30 the next morning. That piece of information got as big a reaction from the crowd as any tennis shot in the match had done. Must have been lots of mothers in the audience. Good to hear that Jagger is such an angel.

Meanwhile Katarina Srebotnik has dropped one game in two matches, yikes. She won 60 30 against poor Anastasia Rodionova on Monday and beat Yvonne Meusburger 60 61 today. Srebotnik has Aravane Rezai tomorrow, who upset 2003 and 2004 champion Eleni Daniilidou 75 64 on the back courts. Guess that scouting didn’t pay off.

So the quarterfinals are set. Vera Zvonareva vs Marina Erakovic, Aravane Rezai vs Katarina Srebotnik, Sara Errani vs Lindsay Davenport and Tamira Paszek vs Maria Kirilenko. I often judge a tournament by its quarterfinal line up so I’m very pleased with this one. The unseeded players who have made it through are all pretty strong so that’s good to see.

Here’s Maria Kirilenko in her little white dress and neon underwear. The young Russian beat Klara Zakopalova 64 61 today and looked strong doing it, but I’m not sure how she’ll manage against Tamira Paszek tomorrow. That match is up first at 11am, it’s gonna be sweet.