Surprise Australian Open quarter-finalist Sara Errani holds one of the more obscure records on the WTA Tour.

Unfortunately it has nothing to do with tennis and is unlikely to help in her quest to become the first Italian in the open era to reach the last four at Melbourne Park.

Errani is long odds to take down Czech second seed, one-time hitting partner and Open favourite Petra Kvitova on Wednesday.

But if the soccer-mad 24-year-old can stay on court for as long as she can keep a football off the ground, Errani will at least be competitive.

Before the last World Cup, Errani registered 210 kicks in the WTA’s “Keep-it-Up” competition, smashing all rivals to take the title.

“I like football. My brother’s playing football so from when I was young I was playing with him,” the world No.48 said on Tuesday.

Errani admitted her impressive soccer skills would be useless against Kvitova, but was nevertheless full of hope and confidence on the eve of her maiden grand slam quarter-final.

“I’m feeling good. I’m playing good, so I’m ready to play tomorrow,” she said.

“I hope to play a good match and why not win to continue the tournament.”

The unseeded Errani took advantage of Samantha Stosur’s first-round demise to sneak through the Australian’s quarter of the draw.

After upsetting Russian 29th seed Nadia Petrova and China’s 2010 semi-finalist Zheng Jie, Errani is the third Italian woman after Adriana Serra-Zanetti in 2002 and Francesca Schiavone last year to make the Open’s last eight.

“Of course it’s incredible for me. It’s the first time quarter-final, so I’m very happy for this,” Errani said.

“I’m playing good. I’m happy to still be alive in the tournament.”

Conquering Kvitova, though, is a whole new ball game.

The Wimbledon champion is most good judges’ world No.1 in waiting – even if the 21-year-old is tired of talking about her push for the top ranking.

When told that tennis legend Martina Navratilova on Monday had already anointed her as the benchmark in women’s tennis, Kvitova politely shrugged off the glowing praise from her fellow Czech.

“Well, I mean, Martina is very nice lady. I like her. She was my idol when I growing up. She’s real legend. That’s it,” Kvitova said.

“Everybody is talking about the first position. But there are many players who can be No.1 after this tournament.

“So it doesn’t matter to talk about this right now … I try to be focused only on the tennis.”

AA