Sponsored by
Wimbledon: Elena Baltacha sees a bright British future
Elena Baltacha is determined to take the positives from what has been dubbed a disastrous Wimbledon, insisting there is a bright future for British tennis.
A straight-sets 7-5 6-1 defeat by Belgian Kirsten Flipkens ended British interest in the women's singles and denied Baltacha the chance to join compatriot Anne Keothavong in the world's top 100.
Baltacha, who had been favourite to complete a hat-trick of wins over the 23-year-old former Wimbledon junior champion, faded badly after a promising start, but bowed out on a defiant note.
"Whatever had happened this week, I know that I am going to progress," she said.
"It's like two steps forward, one step back, but that's the way it is in tennis.
"It was a great opportunity for me. If you look at all the second-round draws, this was the best one. It's just a shame that I couldn't deliver."
The Kiev-born Baltacha has been on course to deliver big things for British tennis ever since reaching the third round of Wimbledon in 2002 but was derailed by a series of illness and injury blows.
However, after qualifying for the Australian Open for a second time in January, she surged to a career-best 105 in the world and is determined to keep climbing.
"I will take the positives from this week," she added. "I beat someone who is 33 in the world (Alona Bondarenko) and I've performed consistently through the year.
"I qualified in Australia and won a match in Paris for the first time so I'm not worried.
"As long as I keep my body healthy, then I really believe I'm going to move forwards."
Baltacha is also convinced that British women's tennis is moving forward and dismissed criticism by sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who called for funding cuts, as "harsh".
"If you look at the bigger picture and look at how the girls have actually done through the year, I don't think that anyone's budget should get cut," she said.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
