Baltacha handed easy passage

Elena Baltacha emulated Laura Robson in reaching the second round of the US Open in New York and, like her compatriot, the British number one benefited from a retirement.

Robson had led by a set and 1-0 on Monday when Japan's Ayumi Morita called it quits with a shoulder injury while Baltacha was on the verge of victory over US wild card Jamie Hampton on Court 7 at Flushing Meadows when her opponent dramatically collapsed.

After a bad start, Baltacha had recovered to lead 2-6 6-2 5-1 and had just gone 30-15 down when Hampton, who had received treatment on her ankle earlier in the third set, slumped to the floor.

It appeared the 21-year-old was suffering from severe cramp and she was quickly attended to by doctors, while Baltacha helped in fetching towels and ice to aid her stricken opponent, who was eventually helped off the court.

Meanwhile, Anne Keothavong could not make it three British women into the second round of the US Open as she went down 7-5 6-3 to South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers.

After waiting all day to play, the 27-year-old made a blistering start, coming out on top of three consecutive breaks and establishing a 5-2 lead.

But she wobbled serving for the set. A set point came and went and, when Scheepers created a break point, the Londoner double-faulted.

The South African was now on the front foot and she broke again to win the first set and then made it six games in a row with another break at the start of the second set.

Keothavong stopped the rot at seven games and had her chances to get back on level terms but she could not take them, and a tally of 52 unforced errors and only 19 winners told its own story.