Baltacha is ousted while Watson waits

Tennis: Elena Baltacha’s grand slam return ended in a 6-3 6-0 defeat by New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic in the first round of the French Open.

Having waited all day as bad weather disrupted the schedule at Roland Garros, Baltacha’s match was finally moved from Court Three to Court Six at 7.45pm.

The former British No 1 is now ranked 200th after taking eight months off following the Olympics to have ankle surgery.

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She had expected that to be the end of her career but realised she did have the appetite for a lengthy period of rehabilitation after all and played the first tournament of her comeback in America last month, but a grand slam return proved too much.

With so much time lost to rain, matches scheduled later in the day began to be cancelled, including Heather Watson’s.

The British No 2, who is making her return after more than two months out with glandular fever, had been due to meet Swiss Stefanie Voegele in the fourth match on Court Three.

Bernard Tomic’s season did not get any better as the Australian retired at 7-5 7-6 (10-8) 2-1 down with a hamstring strain during his first-round match against Victor Hanescu.

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Tomic has won only five tour matches since January and his father and coach, John, is awaiting trial in Madrid for an alleged assault on his son’s hitting partner, Thomas Drouet.

Tomic talked about the controversy surrounding his father for the first time yesterday, saying: “He’s still my dad, he’s still my coach, and I love him a lot.”