• Sony Ericsson Open

Baltacha bounces back to reach round two in Miami

ESPN staff
March 22, 2011
Elena Baltacha will play Klara Zakopalova in the second round © Getty Images
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Sony Ericsson Open seedings

Elena Baltacha produced a superb comeback to book her place in the second round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

The British No. 1 battled from 4-0 down in the final set to beat Austria's Sybille Bammer 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(5) to reach the second round at Crandon Park for the second year running.

However, she got off to a sluggish start as she failed to hold her opening service game, and never got a foothold in the opening set as she was broken a further two times.

Baltacha clawed her way back into the match after winning the second set on a tiebreak, but was immediately on the back foot as Bammer closed in on victory after powering to a 4-0 lead.

But Baltacha refused to give up without a fight and she dug deep to take the final set to a tiebreak, which she clinched 7-5 after trailing 2-4.

"Feels absolutely amazing to have won a match like that!!..can't say the old body is liking it though," Baltacha wrote on her Twitter feed.

Baltacha will now meet No. 32 seed Klara Zakopalova in the second round - the lowest ranked seed she could meet in the round of 64.

Heather Watson failed to join Baltacha in the second round after the British youngster fell in straight sets to Japan's Ayumi Morita. Watson started brightly against the world No. 57, but failed to maintain her momentum as she lost 7-5 6-2.

In other first round action, Melanie Oudin toppled Germany's Julia Goerges and Iveta Benesova battled past Roberta Vinci in straight sets victories.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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