ERAKOVIC BANKS ON WIMBLEDON RETURN Hip hip hooray

DAVID LONG

MARINA Erakovic will leave it until a week before Wimbledon before deciding if she can play in the third Grand Slam of the year. The world No 80 hasn't played since the Miami WTA tournament in early April because of a hip injury.

She has already ruled out playing the French Open at Roland Garros, which starts May 24, but says there is still a chance she'll be right for Wimbledon a month later.

"The goal is to play Wimbledon by I don't know any exact dates or times when I know I'll start playing again," Erakovic told Sunday News.

"It's getting better," she said of her hip.

"But it is a slow process and it's a bit of a nuisance.

"At the moment I'm biking, swimming and still doing easy stuff.

"I've just started to hit against a wall and hit some volleys here and there.

"Hopefully in the next few days I can do some jogging.

`It's a step by step deal. It depends on how my leg feels and how it progresses.

"Wimbledon starts on June 22 so I'd like to have at least a week's practice on grass.

"It could be the middle of next month (before making a decision)."

This time last year, Erakovic went through a purple patch, winning 14 matches and losing just three in the period between the French and British grand slams.

With no chance of picking up ranking points, she has tried to stay positive during her rehabilitation where she has worked with her long time physio Paul Wilson as well as people from adidas Sport's Medicine.

"It has definitely been a long chunk of time and it's annoying but it comes with the job," she said.

"You've got to deal with it the best way you can and keep at it."

Meanwhile, one of New Zealand's other top women's prospects Ellen Barry made a great start to her comeback winning a money tournament in Sydney last week after being out for 11 months through a wrist injury.

"It felt great to be out there on court again after such a long time," the 20-year-old said.

"The wrist did start to feel a bit stiff but it's not too bad.

"Because I played all through the tournament I decided to come back home and not play in the other two money tournaments over there. I didn't want to push it.

"I have to go back to $US10,000 tournaments and work my way back up again because my ranking has dropped but that's just the way it goes."

Barry improved her ranking to 253 last year before the wrist problem.

Her first ITF tournament of the year will be in Bangkok, starting June 8.

- © Fairfax NZ News