• World Rankings

Baltacha sets her sights high

Elena Baltacha is high in confidence after an impressive start to the grass-court season © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Baltacha's brave run halted by Stosur in quarters
  
• News: Ward's semi-final dream shattered by Dolgopolov
  
• News: Baltacha kicks off grass-court season with victory
  
• Profile: Elena Baltacha | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | Jelena Jankovic | Andy Murray | Rafael Nadal | Andy Roddick | Robin Soderling | Venus Williams | Serena Williams | Caroline Wozniacki

You can follow every ball from SW19 with our live scorecentre, featuring in-play updates and commentary.

Elena Baltacha has targeted breaking into the top 30 after an impressive start to the grass-court season.

The British No. 1 was beaten in the AEGON International quarter-finals by Sam Stosur at Eastbourne last week. And Baltacha, who is on the verge of breaking into the top 50 after moving up to 52 in the world rankings, is taking heart from recent successes of the likes of Stosur and Francesca Schiavone and believes at 26 she has time on her side.

"I really do believe that I'm a top 50 player when I play at my best, and my results have shown it," she said. "Once you break into the top 50 the opportunities are there and if you take them anything is possible.

"A couple of years ago you'd never have thought that Francesca Schiavone and Sam Stosur would have got to the final of a Grand Slam. Schiavone is 29, so she's got a couple of years on me. It's amazing, no-one would have tipped them, and it shows how all of a sudden your career can turn round. It makes me believe that next year I could be in the top 30, definitely."

Caroline Wozniacki has been overtaken by Jelena Jankovic as world No. 3 after failing to defend her Eastbourne title, while Flavia Pennetta has replaced China's Na Li in the top ten. After her victory at the Unicef Open, Justine Henin has moved up to No. 16 as she prepares to chase an elusive Wimbledon title.

Meanwhile in the men's rankings, Britain's James Ward is on the verge of breaking back into the world top 300 after his quarter-final appearance at Eastbourne. Ward, who despite not having been handed a wildcard for Wimbledon this week, claimed the scalp of both Feliciano Lopez and Rainer Schuettler and has moved up 38 places to 304.

ATP World Rankings
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP), 2. Roger Federer (SUI), 3. Novak Djokovic (SRB), 4. Andy Murray (GBR) 5. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), 6. Robin Soderling (SWE), 7. Andy Roddick (USA), 8. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG), 9. Fernando Verdasco (ESP), 10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

WTA World Rankings
1. Serena Williams (USA), 2. Venus Williams (USA), 3. Jelena Jankovic (SRB), 4. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), 5. Elena Dementieva (RUS), 6. Sam Stosur (AUS), 7. Francesca Schiavone (ITA), 8. Kim Clijsters (BEL), 9. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), 10. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.