WIMBLEDON 2010: Crushed Baltacha snatches defeat from victory

BRITISH number one Elena Baltacha imploded in spectacular style - as home hopes at Wimbledon got off to a disappointing but predictable start.

SLUMP: Elena Baltacha had a chance to serve for a place in the Wimbledon second round but lost in three sets (Getty Images)

Baltacha spurned the chance to serve for the match in the second set and paid the price, losing the next six games on the spin as Croatia's Petra Martic progressed 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The world number 52, who won the recent AEGON Classic in Nottingham and reached the quarter-finals of last week's Wimbledon tune-up in Eastbourne, should have always progressed against her lower-ranked Croatian rival.

Baltacha arrived at the All England Club with high hopes of matching her previous best performance here - a third round defeat eight years ago.

Since that SW19 peak, Baltacha's career has been punctuated with illness and injury, which means she has often flattered to deceive on the potential she has long displayed in glimpses.

But the manner of this defeat will take some recovery, while it will also be a major setback in her bid to crack the world's top 50 and her long stated aim of becoming a top 30 player next year.

Baltacha broke early in the match to establish control, closing out the first set in double quick time and maintaining her advantage in the second.

A straight sets victory looked a formality as she served for a place in the second round - and a date with 11th seed and former finalist Marion Bartoli, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Julia Goerges.

Under coach Nino Severino, Baltacha has become more steely and less prone to losing her focus at crucial moments.

However, she proceeded to lose the next six games in succession, her trademark powerful service game suddenly stuttering as Martic secured her progress in just over two hours.

“I was very close to making the second round,” she said, doing her best to accentuate the positive and put some heavy top spin on a depressing performance.

“I did get slightly tight and nervous in the second set. I’m not a machine and sometimes things like that happen.

“It was a big occasion and playing at Wimbledon is always special, unfortunately it just didn’t happen for me."