Elena Baltacha: A look at her performance this season
Born on the 14th of August 1983 in the city of Kiev, Elena Baltacha is a professional tennis player from Great Britain. The twenty seven year old Elena also represented Scotland this season in the Common Wealth Games, held in New Delhi. She is the current top ranked tennis contender from Great Britain who has recently jumped into the top fifty with the WTA. Her career high rankings of world number forty nine was achieved two days ago on 13th September, 2010.
As far as her 2010 performances are concerned, Elena started her season by competing at the ASB Classic tennis competition as her first tournament of the year. However, the right handed player couldn’t even win her opening round match against Ioana Raluca Olaru who got the better of her in a total of two sets. The final match score was 2–6 2–6.
As a result of her improved world WTA rankings, the professional tennis player from Great Britain entered the main draw of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open on the very first occasion in her career. She met Pauline Parmentier from France in the opening round of the contest and did well to knock her down in a total of three sets. The final match score was 6–4 3–6 7–5. Elena hammered down the 30th seeded, Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round of the tournament in a two setter clash. The final match score was 6–2 7–5. In the final 32, the Scott’s run was ended by the Russian second ranked tennis ace, Dinara Safina with a final match score of 1–6 2–6.
Baltacha next played at the Dow Corning Tennis Classic, held in Michigan as seeded third to win the title. The Ipswich resident made her way into the final round where the Brit faced Lucie Hradecka. This was Elena’s first ITF $100,000 competition victory as she managed to defeat Hrdecka in a total of three sets. The final match score was 5–7 6–3 6–2.
At the 2010 BNP Paribas Open, held in Indian Wells, Elena made her way into the third round after getting the better of Alexa Glatch as well as Na Li. In the third round, the 1.75 meter tall Elena met Alicia Molik from Australia who toppled her in a total of two sets. The final match score was 6–0, 6–2.
At the clay court French Open tennis tournament, the world number forty nine, faced an eight seeded opponent, Agnieszka Radwanska in the opening round of the competition. She was defeated in this two setter clash though. The final match score was 6–0, 7–5.
Baltacha next contested at the 2010 AEGON Classic tennis tournament which was held in Birmingham. Seeded twelfth, she faced Kaia Kanepi in the opening round of the competition. After losing the opening set 1–6, Elena retired and explained later that she had not been feeling healthy since 1–2.
Starting her US Open warm up events, Elena participated in the Istanbul Cup, where she met Cagla Buyukakcay from Turkey in the first round. After a tough battle, the Scott won in a total of two sets. The final match score was 7–5 7–6(4). She then faced the world number eight Francesca Schiavone and did well to knock her down in a two setter clash. The final match score was 6–4 6–2. She made her way into the quarterfinal round of the competition where Elena was at last ousted by Andrea Petkovic in a total of two sets. The final match score was 6–4, 6–0.
Baltacha then took part in the Danish Open held in Copenhagen, where the twenty seven year old was toppled by Na Li in the second round of the competition. The final match score was 6–3, 6–2.
At the year’s final Grand Slam, the United States Open tennis tournament, Elena Baltacha made her way into main draw on the very first occasion in her career but lost in the second round at the hands of Petra Kvitova in straight sets.
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