Baltacha defies the odds
British No.1 topples 30th seed in Melbourne
British No.1 Elena Baltacha produced one of the best performances of her career as she toppled 30th-seed Kateryna Bondarenko at the Australian Open.
Baltacha, who reaches the third round of a Grand Slam for the third time in her career, fired off 35 winners as she recorded a 6-2 7-5 victory in one hour and 34 minutes.
The 26-year-old, who qualified for the last 32 at Melbourne in 2005 and at Wimbledon in 2002, made light of the gulf in the rankings to dominate from the off.
Baltacha, who rose to a career-high ranking of 83 earlier this month, broke Bondarenko twice to lead 3-0 in the first set.
The Ukrainian threatened to claw her way back as she made it 3-2, however Baltacha rattled off three games on the bounce to take the set.
Bondarenko showed signs of her class in the second set as this time she worked her way into a 3-0 lead.
However Baltacha battled back to win the next four games to steal the initiative and although Bondarenko was able to break back to level, her serve was constantly letting her down.
And Baltacha got the vital break in the 11th game, allowing her to serve out for the match - with the Brit recording only her fourth victory over a top-50 player.
British No.1 topples 30th seed in Melbourne
British No.1 Elena Baltacha produced one of the best performances of her career as she toppled 30th-seed Kateryna Bondarenko at the Australian Open.
Baltacha, who reaches the third round of a Grand Slam for the third time in her career, fired off 35 winners as she recorded a 6-2 7-5 victory in one hour and 34 minutes.
The 26-year-old, who qualified for the last 32 at Melbourne in 2005 and at Wimbledon in 2002, made light of the gulf in the rankings to dominate from the off.
Baltacha, who rose to a career-high ranking of 83 earlier this month, broke Bondarenko twice to lead 3-0 in the first set.
The Ukrainian threatened to claw her way back as she made it 3-2, however Baltacha rattled off three games on the bounce to take the set.
Bondarenko showed signs of her class in the second set as this time she worked her way into a 3-0 lead.
However Baltacha battled back to win the next four games to steal the initiative and although Bondarenko was able to break back to level, her serve was constantly letting her down.
And Baltacha got the vital break in the 11th game, allowing her to serve out for the match - with the Brit recording only her fourth victory over a top-50 player.