http://www.lta.org.uk/Newsroom/GeneralNews/061023Bally.htm?BSMGuid=015c9b49-a37d-4e60-9cb9-9a018e1004c3 Former British No.1 Elena Baltacha will return to competitive tennis at November’s Aberdeen Cup event following back surgery in June. Baltacha underwent surgery on a prolapsed disc at the start of the summer but is well on her way to making a return to the women’s tour in January. The 23-year-old Scot will play her first match since the French Open at the England versus Scotland Aberdeen Cup exhibition event which takes place at the AECC Press and Journal Arena from 25-26 November. Since surgery, Baltacha has been undertaking a disciplined regime of hitting, movement drills, Pilates, and gym and pool sessions in a bid to return to professional tennis 100 per cent fit in 2007. “Since the op’ it’s been my first goal to come back for the Aberdeen Cup,” said Baltacha, who is coached by former British No.1 Jo Durie and Alan Jones. “I’m taking it seriously and I want to be fully match fit by then. “Every week it’s been getting better and better. It’s about four months now and I think I’m at about 75 per cent. “I’m about three or four weeks ahead of where everyone thought I’d be. I’m hoping I’ll be back playing matches in January. “Last week was the best week I’ve had – I finally started moving around the court.” The Ukraine-born player, who reached the third round of the 2005 Australian Open and peaked at a world ranking high of 118 in March 2005, admitted she found it difficult to stay away from the game after the operation. “I was told I shouldn’t go near a tennis court for about four-to-eight weeks after the operation,” she added. “But because it was driving me crazy I picked up a racket three weeks after my surgery. “Around five weeks after surgery I started just hitting up and down the court with Jo – not moving that much, but just hitting balls.” Baltacha said she had been suffering from back pain for some time before deciding to have surgery. “I’d had an ongoing back problem for quite a number of years,” she explained. “I played Fed Cup [in April] and it was quite bizarre because having been bad for around nine weeks it was fine that week. “But after I got back from that event I couldn’t even get out of bed. From there I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t walk properly.” Baltacha says that providing she makes a successful return at the Aberdeen Cup she will start preparing for three British $25,000 events in Wrexham, Sutton and Tipton at the end of January and early February.

-- Edited by ultimateshedman at 23:48, 2007-01-26