Baltacha fails to qualify

THERE will be no British women in action at the Western & Southern Open this week after Elena Baltacha, Anne Keothavong and Laura Robson all failed in their bids to qualify for the tournament.

Keothavong, the world No 97, defeated Italy’s Alberta Brianti in round one of Cincinnati qualifying but then retired when 5-7, 7-6, 4-1 down to Greek Eleni Daniilidou.

Baltacha – the British No 1 and world No 60 in the latest rankings released yesterday – was comprehensively beaten 6-4 6-1 by Olga Govortsova, of Belarus, in round one.

And it wasn’t any better for wild card Robson, who lost 6-2 6-4 to top-seed Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and also fell short in her bid to join the big guns in the main draw.

The tournament hosts both the WTA and ATP tours, and Britain’s Andy Murray has been drawn to face a qualifier or Argentine David Nalbandian in his opening match next week.