Elena Baltacha announces she has liver cancer

[Sir David Gray]

I was really sorry to hear this news yesterday.

She has had a lot of illness throughout her tennis career, mostly to do with her liver and I can only imagine what she may have been able to achieve if she had been completely healthy.

I wish her all the best in her battle to beat this illness.

[Hiber-nation]

Yeah, that is terrible news. Always liked Elena, a real battler and I really hope she can beat this.

[s.a.m]

Very worrying news for her, and I'm hoping she can overcome this. She does seem to have been dealt a particularly unfair hand in terms of serious illness and injury throughout her career, and it's to her credit that she got so far with the challenges that she's faced.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

I see her cancer was being connected to Chernobyl given the fact she grew up in Kiev, I wonder how many lives that disaster will eventually end up claiming?

[Sir David Gray]

I see her cancer was being connected to Chernobyl given the fact she grew up in Kiev, I wonder how many lives that disaster will eventually end up claiming?

She was diagnosed about 10 years ago with Primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is an autoimmune disease of the bile duct and can eventually lead to liver cancer.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

She was diagnosed about 10 years ago with Primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is an autoimmune disease of the bile duct and can eventually lead to liver cancer.

Aye, I know. I was just going by what a professor of oncology who advises the Ukrainian government had said.

[Sir David Gray]

Devastating news coming through tonight that Elena Baltacha has sadly lost her fight with liver cancer at the age of just 30.

Really sad.

RIP Elena.

[cabbageandribs1875]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/27280549


what a flippin shame, only 30 year old as well :(

[BigKev]

Tragic news and so young.

RIP Elena - a sad loss to Scottish sport.

[IWasThere2016]

That's just not right.

RIP Elena x

[NOLA]

R.I.P elena, sad loss to scottish/british sport.