Dubai: The news of Elena Baltacha’s death on Sunday left the tennis community in the UAE in a state of shock.
Baltacha was diagonised with liver cancer in January, just two months following her retirement from tennis and only weeks after had married her long-time coach Nino Severino.
The 30-year-old played at the annual Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2011, where she lost 7-6, 6-4 to Alexandra Dulgheru.
Salah Tahlak, Tournament Director, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, described Baltacha’s death a “great loss for tennis”. “Our sport will be poorer because of one of its brightest players passing away,” Tahlak told Gulf News.
“Even after she knew the cancer had spread she fought well and that can only be an inspiration to the rest of the players.”
Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, Vice President, Tennis Emirates, said his prayers were with the family of Baltacha.
“Death is very much part of life and I pray that the family copes with this huge loss,” Falaknaz said. “Way too often we take health for granted, but instances like these help us rethink on priorities in life.”
