Britain’s Elena Baltacha Decides to Keep Playing on the Tour

Written by: Staff on 19th December 2011

Britain’s Elena Baltacha Decides to Keep Playing on the Tour

epa02533922 Elena Baltacha of Great Britain returns to Jamie Hampton of the United States during their Women's Singles first round match of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on 17 January 2011. Baltacha beat Hampton. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT |

British no.1 woman player Elena Baltacha has long intimated that next August Olympic Games event, to be played at Wimbledon, will be the finale of a long and arduous career that has seen many battles against illness and injury.

But the Ukraine-born 28 year-old insists she has experienced a change of heart and with a world ranking consistently around the no.50 mark she admits it would be wasteful to quit if things remain rosy.

“I did say the Olympics was probably going to be my last tournament,” said Baltacha. “When I look now how near it is – it will be here before you know it – I think it would be a real shame if I’m enjoying it, if I’m still improving and I’m injury free, to give it up. I look at how I love it now and it would be silly for me to stand firm and say ‘let’s stop’ if I’m heading in the right direction.”

Baltacha, who needs a firm regimen of medication each to day to cope with a long standing liver complaint, joked that she could even still be playing at the age of 40. I spent nine years on the ITF circuit trying to get into the top 100 and getting into a good position,” she continued.

The last two years I’ve achieved a lot. It would be silly not to carry on as long as I feel I still love it and my ranking’s getting better. If that’s the case, I’ll carry on. I broke the top 50 last season which was great. It’s just a matter of performing consistently on a week-to-week basis. If you do that you will move up.

Topics: Elena Baltacha