US OPEN: Elena Baltacha forgets Wimbledon demons in New York

By Sportsbeat staff

BRITISH number one Elena Baltacha put her Wimbledon misery behind her as she progressed to the US Open second round against the teen who dumped her out at the All England Club.

IMPRESSIVE: British number one Elena Baltacha was pumped up after beating Wimbledon nemesis Petra Martic at the US Open (Action Images)

World number 54 Baltacha, appearing in New York without the need to qualify for the first time, could have been forgiven for feeling luck was against her when she drew Croatia's Petra Martic.

The Scot was a set and 5-4 up in SW19 when she allowed her youthful opponent back into the match - a result that summed up one of the most miserable home Slams for British players, Andy Murray aside, in memory.

But away from the glare of home attention, on an almost impenetrable outpost of Flushing Meadow ignored by the television cameras, she made amends in style.

And if revenge is a dish best served cold, she served up Martic liberal double helpings, progressing 6-2, 6-2 in a confident and commanding display.

It's only the second time in 13 years that a British woman has reached the second round in New York, Anne Keothavong being the last in 2008, when she beat Francesca Schiavone - before that you need to go back to Sam Smith in 1997.

"What happened at Wimbledon was very difficult to take," admitted Baltacha.

"I was two points from the match and in control but I let it slip. I took what happened there pretty hard, it took me a while to get over.

"However, I took the view that it would either break me or make me and it helped. I was professional and focused and that was the difference.

"I believed in myself and never let up at any stage. I put her under pressure throughout."

And on this evidence, Baltacha - who will represent Scotland at October's Commonwealth Games - will fancy her chances against number 27 seed Petra Kvitova, who was stretched in her first round match with fellow Czech Lucie Hradecka, winning through 6-4, 7-5.

Elsewhere, Kim Clijsters started her title defence by winning six games in a row and then stumbled to lose the next four.

However, she quickly recovered to see off Hungarian challenger Greta Arn 6-0, 7-5 while Venus Williams - the star home attraction in the absence of injured sister Serena - showed no signs of rustiness in her first appearance since Wimbledon, beating Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4 6-1.

In the men's draw, Roger Federer produced a moment of trick shot brilliance as he started his bid to reach a seventh straight US Open final in style.