Elena is still upbeat after thrashing

"I am really sick of where I am at the moment because I know I am a much better player. Even if I had lost in first-round qualifying here, I know I am a much better player and it's exciting to do this and I still have weaknesses that can be improved in my game.

"I have had six unbelievably tough matches and even though I got my arse kicked 6-1, 6-0 today, it's the only way to learn and I am going to improve. It's going to be exciting working hard on those areas."

Baltacha's six wins have boosted her bank balance by nearly £19,000 as well as making her the highest ranked British woman since Louise Latimer in 2001, who made it into the 120s. Given the static nature of the ranking positions of Britain's women players, Baltacha's rise of around 60 places is ground breaking.

Her elevated position now gives the Ukraine-born player the opportunity to crack the world's top 100, although that is asking a lot of someone who had to give up tennis for six months in 2003 to deal with a serious liver problem.

Baltacha, whose mother Olga was a world-ranked pentathlete while her father Sergei played football for Dynamo Kiev and Ipswich Town and is now a youth team coach at Charlton, still needs twice-yearly checkups to monitor a problem that left her devoid of energy. It will also force her to change the playing schedule that was mapped out before her rise up the rankings. She can now get into bigger tournaments, but is still likely to turn up at one of the £14,000 events she has entered in the next two weeks in Sunderland and Redbridge.

A low-key event like Sunderland, where accommodation comes at £48-a-night for players who must pay £15 to enter, could be a useful reality check after the last two weeks in Australia. She said: "I started last year at 400, I didn't really think that I would get to about 185. But I didn't realise that in the first two weeks of this year I would get to 125.

"Thanks to this tournament, I realise what I am of capable of producing and I believe this isn't my last chance to get into the top 100. I will have a lot more opportunities and so I am not going to get trapped into thinking, 'Oh, my God, I'm nearly there, nearly in the Top 100.'

"I am not going to do that. This will give me a boost in confidence and I am pretty excited. I miss home and it will be nice to go back to Enfield and just keep my head down, focus and keep working hard.

"I need to get quicker visually and improve my leg speed. I need to work on my serve because it has gone a bit funny. I have got a lot of weaknesses and my coaches Alan Jones and Jo Durie know how to help me, so I'm really confident."

Baltacha is considering contact lenses after having problems with her glasses during the Open, but is ruling out laser surgery for the moment. She added: "I think your eyes have to be kind of stable for that and my vision goes up and down. I'll wait maybe a couple years.

"Hopefully next year I won't have to qualify for Australia but, if needed, I could do it again. I have had a great time here, enjoyed everything about he tournament and loved the people. It's really given me a huge confidence boost being here."

AMELIE MAURESMO, the 1999 Australian Open finalist, has emerged as a key contender for the first Grand Slam of the year.
Mauresmo, the second seed, reached the fourth round today by accounting for Ana Ivanovic, of Serbia, 6-2, 7-5 on centre court and the talented French woman, who is developing her serve and volley game, is building up real momentum.
Mauresmo said: "I won 14 of my 15 net points today and that's why I say I should go to the net more often. The percentage is great and while it may not be like that every day, it's a positive one at least. I will make sure I do get to the net more. I am pretty happy about my play and it's getting better each round."
Her 17-year-old opponent Ivanovic said: "I was a little bit nervous at the start. I think in the second set also I was a little bit disappointed with my service game in the end.
"But that's experience. Next time I hope I won't make the same mistakes again."

EVGENIA LINETSKAYA will face Mauresmo in the last 16 after an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over American Amy Frazier. Another Russian, Vera Douchevina, also advanced to the fourth round with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany.

SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA, the US Open champion who was dogged by a drugs controversy at the start of the Australian Open, eased into the fourth round with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Argentina's Mariana Diaz-Oliva.