US OPEN: Defeated Baltacha upbeat as she eyes world's top 50

By Sportsbeat staff

ELENA Baltacha is hopeful she can crack the world's top 50 for the first time - despite her second round exit at the US Open.

UPBEAT: Eleana Baltacha is looking forward with confidence despite her second round exit at the US Open (Action Images)

The British number one was beaten 7-6, 6-3 by Wimbledon semi-finalist and number 27 seed Petra Kvitova in New York.

The first set was tight with Baltacha saving two break points in the 11th game to force a tie-break that her Czech opponent won 7-5.

And just one break of serve proved enough for her rival to claim the second set and progress to a third round date with defending champion Kim Clijsters, who beat Sally Peer 6-2, 6-1.

However, after a miserable Wimbledon, the world number 57 believes she is finally making the right progress up the rankings.

"I really believe that I am a top 50 player now and breaking in would be very special," she said.

"It will depend on how the girls around me do in the next few days, so we'll see.

"I know that I'll have to improve but I have confidence that I am actually getting better now."

And Baltacha - who will represent Scotland in next month's first-ever Commonwealth Games tennis tournament, where she has strong claims for gold - had no complaints about her defeat.

"I still feel I'm playing well, it wasn't a bad match," she added. "She just had more firepower and really started firing, especially in the second set.

"My first-serve percentage then got worse and that was really the difference in the end"

Elsewhere, tenth seed Victoria Azarenka was taken to hospital after collapsing on court during her second round match with Gisela Dulko.

She left the court in a wheelchair and it was later revealed she had been diagnosed with mild concussion following a fall in training.

Third seed Venus Williams survived a mild first set scare to progress 7-6, 6-3 against Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino while former world number one Ana Ivanovic cruised past 21st seed, Jie Zheng of China, 6-3, 6-0.