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Baltacha succumbs to Stosur in straight sets

Baltacha succumbs to Stosur
© PA Photos
Britain's Elena Baltacha opens play at the French Open on the Philippe Chatrier court but loses 6-4 6-0 to sixth seed Samantha Stosur.

Elena Baltacha has become the first British casualty of this year's French Open by losing in straight sets to Australia's Samantha Stosur.

Sixth-seed Stosur raced into a 3-0 lead before Baltacha got on the scoreboard in game four.

Baltacha, the world number 68, fought back to within a game of Stosur but lost out in the tenth game as Stosur took the opener 6-4.

US Open champion Stosur again broke clear in the second and this time maintained her momentum in reaching 5-0 in double-quick time.

Baltacha went 0-40 down on serve and showed a glimpse of quality by first sending a drop shot just over before belting an unstoppable backhand to save two match points.

She could do little on the third as Stosur ran round her backhand and smashed a forehand up the line to seal victory.

Stosur will next face either American Irina Falconi or Romania's Edina Gallovits-Hall in the second round.

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Laura Robson
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