Kiwi women tennis top gun Erakovic disappointed over partner Barry skipping Delhi CWG
By ANIMonday, October 4, 2010
NEW DELHI - New Zealand’s top women tennis player Marina Erakovic has arrived here in Delhi minus her roommate Ellen Barry, who pulled out of the Commonwealth Games due to security concerns.
It means Erakovic gets a room in the team tower to herself, but it also means she won’t be playing in the women’s doubles where they pair would have been a decent chance at a medal.
Instead, according to stuff.co.nz, she’ll be teaming up with Rubin Statham in the mixed doubles on October 5 in a late change to New Zealand’s tennis schedule.
Erakovic said: “It’s a shame, but I understand her (Barry’s) reasoning. I’m sure it was a tough decision for her to make, but I need to concentrate on myself at the moment. She wrote to me and I knew she was changing her mind. She let me know and that was very nice of her. It’s tough.”
She added: “I know she was uncertain of what to expect here, but I’m sure if she came down here and saw how things were going she would definitely enjoy it as well.”
A WTA veteran at the ripe old age of 22, Erakovic never considered not going to India for the third time in her career, just another stamp in a passport that’s running out of room.
And she’s learned on her travels that when one door closes another one opens.
“It is still two events. It will be fun because I’ve never played mixed doubles and it will be nice to do it with a Kiwi for my first time. (ANI)
