Final blow for Baltacha?

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Sadly for the home crowd, Elena Baltacha could not yesterday pull off a surprise win against Ana Ivanovic in the second round to make it three British wins at SW19.

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The Scot, who hinted after beating Agnes Szavay on Saturday she could be nearing the end of her career, put up a spirited fight against the former world No.1, but left Court 18 in tears after a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) defeat.

Ivanovic stormed into a 3-0 lead in the first set but Baltacha upped her play in the seventh game. Ivanovic was unhappy with a line call and that unsettled her rhythm, allowing the home favourite to break after the Serb netted.Baltacha took the world No.12 to deuce in the ninth game, but she could not break and the 2008 French Open champion took the first set with a break in the 10th game.The British No.4 was determined to take the match to a third set and she engineered two break points in the seventh game of the second but she was unable to convert them.Ivanovic almost made the Scot pay as she earned three match points in the 10th game, but Baltacha dug deep to see off the threat.Baltacha showed nerves of steel to hold to take the set to a tie-break, but she lost the first four points. She recovered to break back twice, but Ivanovic's experience shone through as she broke with a forehand before serving out to victory.Baltacha said: "I was emotional. There were a few tears. It's a really big occasion and I have worked really hard to earn my place here. I was upset because I had some opportunities. I had some break points in the second set. Maybe things would have changed if I had taken them."Baltacha at the weekend cast doubt on her future in tennis when she revealed she needs ankle surgery as a series of injuries have finally caught up with the Ukraine-born player, who turns 29 next month.When asked whether she cried because she feared yesterday was her last singles appearance at SW19, Baltacha replied: "No, not at all. I need to have foot surgery. I can't carry on with the foot the way it is."I will do the rehab, I will see how it goes, and if I am ready to come back after the operation in February then I will. If I feel that I am enjoying life at home and I don't really want to get on another plane then, yes, I will retire. But the way my mind is at the moment I would like to come back. If that changes then I won't."The Scot later dropped out of the running for a London 2012 medal as she and her partner Anne Keothavong were beaten 6-3, 6-1 by German pair Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Gronefeld on Court Two.

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Final blow for Baltacha?

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