THE legacy of Elena Baltacha will be continued in Scotland as tennis coaches are to work with her academy to set up a programme in Glasgow.

Nino Severino, husband of the former world top 50 player, has confirmed the Elena Baltacha Academy, which is based in Ipswich, will work with coaches in Glasgow to make tennis accessible to children in the city.

Baltacha, who died last year aged 30 from liver cancer, was brought up in Scotland and was passionate about her foundation that has proved an enormous success south of the Border.

Now coaches at Western Tennis Club in Hyndland are set to work in partnership with the Baltacha Academy to bring her message to Scotland.

The academy in Ipswich offers pastoral care, medical screenings, sports science support, strength and conditioning, injury prevention programmes. It has a parent and player educational system which includes player emotional support, psychology, nutrition and tennis lifestyle programmes.

Mr Severino said of his wife: "She loved Scotland. One of the things that breaks my heart is that we were going to spend so much more time in Scotland. That is why I really want to make this effort to set up the scheme in Scotland. I know how much she will be smiling right now."

Julie Gordon, a coach at Western Tennis Club, believes the initiative can be a success in Scotland and draw children from all backgrounds to tennis. She visited the academy in Ipswich recently and was inspired by the values it espoused.

She is also helping to organise a Rally for Bally event at the club next Saturday when children will be given free coaching and celebrities such as Greg Hemphill, Alan Rough, Sanjeev Kohli, Kaye Adams, Judith Ralston, Alison Walker and Ian McCall will play in a tournament.

A similar event last year earned £10,000 and the money raised on Saturday will go to the Elena Baltacha Tennis Foundation, Playlist for Life and the Scottish Dementia Clinical Research Network.

The event starts at 2.30pm with tickets costing £10 for adults and a £5 for children.

All details about the event including how to buy tickets can be found at: http://www.glasgowwestern.co.uk/events.html