LONDON - Elena Baltacha, a former top-50 professional tennis player who had been fighting liver cancer since retiring from the g

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LONDON - Elena Baltacha, a former top-50 professional tennis player who had been fighting liver cancer since retiring from the game, died Sunday. Dominic Solanke Jersey . She was 30. The former British No. 1 died peacefully surrounded by family and friends, the Womens Tennis Association said on its website. The Kyiv-born Baltacha, who represented Britain at the 2012 London Olympics, was diagnosed with the illness in January, two months after retiring from tennis and only weeks after she married her long-time coach Nino Severino. "We are heartbroken beyond words at the loss of our beautiful, talented and determined Bally," Severino said in a statement. "She was an amazing person and she touched so many people with her inspirational spirit, her warmth and her kindness." Baltacha was born into a sporting family. Father Sergei played football for Dynamo Kyiv and English club Ipswich, and won a bronze medal for the Soviet Union at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Mother Olga represented the Soviet Union in the pentathlon. After being diagnosed with a chronic liver condition aged 19, Baltacha dealt with illness throughout her career, receiving medication and regular blood tests. "Elenas journey was never an easy one and yet she consistently showed her strength, good humour and indomitable spirit," WTA chairman Stacey Allaster said. Her best ranking was 49th in 2010, and she reached the third round at Grand Slam tournaments three times — at Wimbledon in 2002, and at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2010. Ankle problems eventually forced her to retire in November, and she had hoped to use her experience to develop the next generation of British players. "We have lost a shining light from the heart of British tennis - a true role model, a great competitor and a wonderful friend," former Fed Cup coach Iain Bates said. "We have so many special memories to cherish, but this leaves a gaping hole for everybody in both British and womens tennis, and words simply cannot express how saddened we are by this news." Baltacha had already planned a tennis charity event in June, "Rally for Bally," to raise money for a cancer hospital and her tennis academy. It will go ahead in her memory, with competitors including childhood friend Andy Murray, Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman. "Bally was such a caring human being, always putting others before herself, and a warm, fun person," the WTAs Allaster said. "A shining example of her commitment to looking out for the welfare of others is the Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis, which she established so that children from disadvantaged backgrounds could learn to play the game she loved so dearly." Jamal Blackman Jersey . 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NFL owners filed an unfair labour charge against the players union in February, arguing that the union was not negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in good faith.PHILADELPHIA -- When David Buchanan walked into the managers office after a rough outing in the minors, he didnt expect to leave a major leaguer. Buchanan sure pitched like he belonged in his debut. The 25-year-old righty threw five effective innings, Chase Utley hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 Saturday. Filling in for injured ace Cliff Lee, Buchanan (1-0) gave the struggling Phillies a lift. He allowed two runs and five hits, striking out two. He was pulled after one inning and four runs in his last start at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. A couple days later, manager Dave Brundage and pitching coach Ray Burris met with him to make sure he was fine. "After 15 minutes, I was walking out when (Brundage) said: Are you going to be ready when Chooch (Carlos Ruiz) calls for a fastball?" Buchanan said. "I stopped and he said it again. I was like, Are you serious?" Buchanan, who grew up a Braves fan in Georgia, had more than 15 family and friends in the crowd, including his parents. "This is what I thought about since I was a kid," he said. "Im overwhelmed with emotions. Its so humbling that so many people took the time out, got plane tickets and were here to see me." Ben Revere went 4 for 4 in his first game leading off since May 14 and Jimmy Rollins drove in two runs to help the Phillies snap a three-game losing streak. Jonathan Papelbon tossed a scoreless ninth for his 13th save in 14 tries. Dodgers starter Dan Haren (5-3) gave up five runs -- two earned -- and six hits, striking out seven in six innings. Buchanan retired the first three batters he faced on grounders before the Phillies gave him a quick lead in the bottom half. One pitch after catcher A.J. Ellis dropped his foul pop, Utley drove one out to right field for a 2-0 lead. Utley ended a homerless drought of 127 at-bats, dating to April 13. "I just missed it," Ellis said. "It was a bad play by me and it cost us the game." Revere started Philadelphias first with his first double since last July 8. One out later, Utley connected. Revere annd Rollins hit consecutive RBI singles with two outs in the second to make it 4-0. Mohamed Salah Jersey. Rollins hit .308 with two homers and had a .438 on-base percentage in eight games batting first, which used to be his spot throughout his career. But manager Ryne Sandberg put Revere back atop the order after benching him a couple games. "To be close to .300 this soon after ankle surgery is pretty impressive," said Revere, who is hitting .289 after missing the second half of last year following an ankle injury. Carl Crawfords RBI groundout in the fourth cut it to 4-1. Dee Gordon hit an RBI single with two outs in the fifth to get the Dodgers within 4-2. Revere reached on an infield single and went to third when Harens throw to first sailed down the right field line. He scored on Rollins groundout to extend the lead to 5-2 in the fifth. Yasiel Puig led off the sixth with a triple off Jake Diekman. Two outs later, he scored on Carlos Ruizs passed ball. Buchanan earned himself another start while Lee is sidelined. Lee has an elbow strain and its uncertain whether hell be ready when hes eligible to come off the DL. "Its an outing he can build on as we need him," Sandberg said. NOTES: Ruiz hit a foul ball that landed in a vendors bin that he was carrying over his head while walking up steps in the right field stands. Fans cheered the unsuspecting vendor, who gave the ball to a young boy. ... Buchanan is the first player from Georgia State to play in the majors. .... Phillies LF Domonic Brown left with mid-back spasms. Hes day to day. ... Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez was a late scratch because of a sore left calf. ... Phillies 3B Cody Asche is day to day with a left hamstring injury. ... The Phillies placed RHP Luis Garcia on the 15-day disabled list because of a right forearm strain. Buchanan took his roster spot. Garcia had a 15.75 ERA in three appearances. ... Haren struck out the side on 11 pitches in the third. ... The Phillies are 12-3 on weekends, 9-22 the other five days. ... A.J. Burnett (3-3) faces Josh Beckett (2-1) in the series finale Sunday afternoon. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '