Baltacha moves through the gears in Toyota
Date published :
27 Nov 2009 - 09:17:38
Elena Baltacha has reached the quarter-finals of the $75k event in
Toyota, Japan after winning 6-4, 6-3 against So-Jung Kim (KOR).
The British No.2 will now meet Tomoko Yonemura (JPN) as she
continues her fine form since returning from injury at her final
tournament of the year.
"I felt I performed much better today. I'm beginning to get used to
the conditions and I'm adapting better to the surface. Tomorrow will be
another tough challenge but i'm going into the match believing that I
can win and I'm very much looking forward to another battle!" Baltacha
enthused.
Elsewhere on the women's tour, Naomi Broady defeated tournament No.7
seed Maria- Fernanda Alves (BRA) 6-1 7-6(3) at the $25k event in Puebla
(MEX). After defeating a player ranked 173 places higher than her in
the rankings, the Briton will now face Leonie Mekel (NED).
There has also been British success in Mexico in the women's doubles
as Natasha Khan and her partner Katie Ruckert (USA) have reached the
quarter-finals. The pair defeated Diana Isaeva (RUS) and Alexandra
Riley (USA) 6-0, 1-6, (10-7) in their opening round match.
Despite an impressive start in the match in which he took the first
set 6-1, Jamie Baker lost in three sets to No.6 seed Grega Zemlja (SLO)
in the $35k men's event in Puebla. However the Briton was unable to
prevent a comeback from his opponent as he eventually lost 6-1, 4-6,
1-6. In the doubles event, Jamie Delgado and his partner John-Paul
Fruttero (USA) lost 6-2, 1-6, 8-10 to the Spanish pair Guillermo Olaso
and Pere Riba.
Ken Skupski and Colin Fleming fell just short of reaching
the quarter-finals of the €106.5k in Helsinki despite fighting back
vailantly from a set down. The British doubles No.2 and 3 lost 7-6(2),
4-6, 10-6 in a close encounter with Karol Beck (SVK) and Jiri Krkoska
(CZE).
