Elena Baltacha: Former British number one has liver cancer
The British number three said: “It’s horrible news to hear and all of us are thinking of her.
“It’s a shock to hear and I hope she has a good speedy recovery.
“Bally’s a great spirit for Fed Cup and we all enjoy having her around, and all of us girls at the Fed Cup get along so well, so we’ll all be thinking of her.”
For several years Baltacha and Anne Keothavong were at the forefront of the women’s game in Britain.
Keothavong, who retired in July 2013, sent a message of support to her old rival via Twitter., external
It read: “She’s one of the people I most admire for her courage and determination. You’ll fight through this @ElenaBaltacha xxx.”
Current British number one Laura Robson tweeted: “Sending so many positive vibes your way Bally! You’ve got this xx.”
Stacey Allaster, the chairman and chief executive of the WTA, added: “Throughout her tennis career, Elena was admired for her friendly personality, her passion, energy and tenacity.
“We know she will use these qualities to fight this illness and we’ll support her along this process in any way we can.”
Baltacha can look for inspiration to Great Britain Davis Cup player Ross Hutchins, who was appointed the new tournament director of the Queen’s Club’s Aegon Championships in London this week.
The 29-year-old had returned to action earlier this year with doubles partner Colin Fleming after recovering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma – another form of cancer.
Hutchins was diagnosed with the illness in December 2012 but announced he was in remission in July.
