FOOTBALLER'S daughter Elena Baltacha scored one of the best wins of her career at Eastbourne yesterday.

The 17-year-old Brit, ranked 280, recovered from a set down against world No. 90 Virgine Razzano of France in the third and final round of qualifying.

Baltacha's unexpected 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory in 1hr 28 minutes in the opening match on centre court earned her a place in the first round proper of the Britannic Asset Management Championships at Devonshire Park.

She now faces eighth seed and 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.

The country's latest female tennis hope is the daughter of former Dynamo Kiev, Ipswich and Russian international midfielder Sergei Baltacha, who finished his career in Scotland with St Johnstone.

Baltacha junior, born in Kiev, has a solid sporting background. Her mother Olga, now divorced from her father, was an Olympic standard pentathlete.

"We moved to Ipswich when I was six, then Perth when I was seven," Baltacha revealed.

"My parents introduced me to short tennis in Ipswich and I started playing tennis at ten.

"Having sporting parents has definitely been an advantage for me. My mum is a sports masseur, so she helps me in that area."

The flame-haired Baltacha has evidently inherited some fiesty qualities.

On Sunday in the second round of qualifying she was match point down against Switzerland's Miroslava Vavrinec.

She was soon in trouble again in a baseline battle with the leggy Razzano, who reached the last 32 of both the Australian and French Opens, beating Anke Huber in the latter.

Razzano, 18, won eight of the first nine points and the last three games of a first set spanning 27 minutes.

Baltacha, undaunted by the deficit, raced through the second set with some big serves, which she regards as her most potent weapon, and powerful groundstrokes.

In the decider she broke to lead 3-1 when Razzano netted a crosscourt forehand and when she broke again the contest was effectively over.

Indeed at 1-5 a limping Razzano, labouring with thigh strains, shaped as if to concede the match.

"She came to the net and I thought she was going to shake hands," explained Baltacha. "Then she walked away, which was quite funny.

"Her injury made it difficult but it didn't stop me. You can lose your concentration, but I was determined to beat her.

"She is a top player. I played her twice before and lost in the juniors, but I went out there expecting to give 100 per cent.

"I felt relaxed. There was no pressure on me at all."

Baltacha even demonstrated some of her father's talents, playing keep-up as she served for the match, but there is no doubt in which sport her future lies.

She aims to build on semi-final appearances in both the national championships and at Surbiton, where she had a career-best win against American world No. 75 Jennifer Hopkins, under the wing of coach Alan Jones and former British No. 1 Jo Durie.

Baltacha, a wild card recipient at Eastbourne and Wimbledon, warmed up for yesterday's win with Durie and she acknowledges the need for a Durie-type breakthrough on the distaff side of the domestic game.

"I think there are a lot of good juniors in Britain at the moment, more than there used to be," she said. "Tennis is definitely growing here.

"But if you look at Tim and Greg they are top ten players and we haven't got a female in the top 100 yet."

Baltacha's glittering display won her the player of the day award. She receives a silver necklace from London jewellers Aprey and Garrard which has been designed by Jade Jagger, daughter of Rolling Stones frontman Mick.

Former national champion Hannah Collin frittered away an opportunity to join Baltacha in the first round.

She took the first set off Tunisian world No. 88 Selima Sfar 6-4, then led 4-1 and 5-3 in the second before bowing out 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.