Elena Baltacha could face former world number one Kim Clijsters in the second round at the Australian Open

ELENA Baltacha faces a potentially mouth-watering second round match with defending champion Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open after the draw for the tournament was made in the early hours of this morning.

ELENA Baltacha faces a potentially mouth-watering second round match with defending champion Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open after the draw for the tournament was made in the early hours of this morning.

Ipswich-based Baltacha will have to overcome France’s Stephanie Foretz before having a chance of playing the Belgian but is confident of progressing as she aims to make the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time ever.

“I won’t take her for granted but it’s definitely a match I think I can win. I lost to her a couple of times early in my career but I’m a different player now and a different me. I feel great just now and I’m ready to play,” said Baltacha.

Clijsters, a former world number one is also a three-time winner of the US Open but Baltacha’s record in Grand Slams over the previous two years has improved.

“We’ll see how both of us go in the first round but obviously it would be great to play Kim,” said Baltacha.

I’ve got a good record of winning matches in grand slams over the last couple of years and I’d like to keep that up, so all I’m thinking about at the moment is that first round match.”

Baltacha finds herself with a tough path Down Under with Li Na, the 2011 French Open winner and Austrialian Open 2011 runner-up and Dane Caroline Wozniacki, potential fourth round and quarter final opponents.

Elsewhere, Andy Murray faces American teenager Ryan Harrison in the men’s draw while Baltacha’s Fed Cup team-mate, Heather Watson has been drawn against number three seed, Victoria Azarenka while Naomi Broady has joined Laura Robson in the second round of qualifying.