• BNP Paribas Open

Baltacha through, Keothavong out in Indian Wells

ESPN staff
March 11, 2010
Elena Baltacha is playing herself into form in the Californian desert © Getty Images
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Elena Baltacha fought to another tricky win at the BNP Paribas Open in California while fellow Briton Anne Keothavong is out at the first round after her own three-setter.

Baltacha was the party pooper as she knocked out tall Californian Alexa Glatch 6-3 6-7 6-4 in well over two hours of play.

In a positive sign in comparison to her qualifying matches, Baltacha's serve was relatively untroubled as she conceded just two break points in the match. Glatch was able to take both of those opportunities, but that just prolonged the match as Baltacha's experience shone through in the end.

Baltacha will face Li Na in the second round, and with the Australian Open semi-finalist gaining a bye to that stage, Baltacha might at least have the advantage of match practice having beaten three opponents in Indian Wells already this week.

Keothavong looked on track for an upset after taking the first set but crumbled to a 2-6 6-3 6-1 loss to Anna Chakvetadze - her fourth career loss to the 23-year-old Russian.

Chakvetadze won just 41% of points on her serve in the first set as Keothavong dominated proceedings, but the top-100 player stepped things up in the second set, overcoming six double faults to get back into the match and break the British No.2 four times.

Justine Henin set up a tasty second-round clash with Gisela Dulko by cruising past Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2 6-2.

Meanwhile in men's qualifying, former world No.5 Rainer Schuettler grabbed a place in the main draw for the tenth year in a row by defeating Giovanni Lapentti 4-6 6-1 6-4.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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