TheBoiledEgg
Jul 12th, 2002, 03:14 PM
Baltacha row mars win
By Mark Hodgkinson (Filed: 12/07/2002)
Elena Baltacha, the new British No 3 after reaching the third round of Wimbledon this year, was embroiled in controversy at a satellite tournament in Felixstowe yesterday when she admitted swearing at opponent Lucie Ahl.
Baltacha, 18, who reached the last four here after battling past the second seed 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 and is now just two matches away from the first title of her professional career, swore at Ahl when they sat down at the end of the second set.
Referee Sultan Gangji was called on court where Ahl demanded that Baltacha, who had been given a code violation for swearing in the first set, should be punished for her outburst. Gangji took no action.
Ahl was still angry as she left the club. "She was having conversations with her mother in Russian during the match which is not allowed. I told the umpire this and Elena turned to me and swore," she said.
Baltacha, whose mother, Olga, is from Ukraine, admitted that she had sworn at Ahl: "Yes, I did, and it was a mistake. It was spur of the moment and I regret it now. But she was trying to get me defaulted.
"I can understand why it happened. I'm really competitive, she's really competitive and we're both trying hard to win. There's a lot of rivalry between us.
"My mum was just asking me if I wanted another bottle of water. She wasn't coaching me, but that was a stupid thing to do. That was also a mistake."
Yesterday decided who will be British No 2 behind Julie Pullin when the new rankings appear on Monday afternoon. Baltacha will overtake Ahl, who is just seven places higher at No 192 in the world. She plays qualifier Christina Horiatopoulos, of Australia, this morning for a place in the final
By Mark Hodgkinson (Filed: 12/07/2002)
Elena Baltacha, the new British No 3 after reaching the third round of Wimbledon this year, was embroiled in controversy at a satellite tournament in Felixstowe yesterday when she admitted swearing at opponent Lucie Ahl.
Baltacha, 18, who reached the last four here after battling past the second seed 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 and is now just two matches away from the first title of her professional career, swore at Ahl when they sat down at the end of the second set.
Referee Sultan Gangji was called on court where Ahl demanded that Baltacha, who had been given a code violation for swearing in the first set, should be punished for her outburst. Gangji took no action.
Ahl was still angry as she left the club. "She was having conversations with her mother in Russian during the match which is not allowed. I told the umpire this and Elena turned to me and swore," she said.
Baltacha, whose mother, Olga, is from Ukraine, admitted that she had sworn at Ahl: "Yes, I did, and it was a mistake. It was spur of the moment and I regret it now. But she was trying to get me defaulted.
"I can understand why it happened. I'm really competitive, she's really competitive and we're both trying hard to win. There's a lot of rivalry between us.
"My mum was just asking me if I wanted another bottle of water. She wasn't coaching me, but that was a stupid thing to do. That was also a mistake."
Yesterday decided who will be British No 2 behind Julie Pullin when the new rankings appear on Monday afternoon. Baltacha will overtake Ahl, who is just seven places higher at No 192 in the world. She plays qualifier Christina Horiatopoulos, of Australia, this morning for a place in the final