Australian Open Betting / Barry Millns / 17 January 2010 /

Murray's not the only Brit at the Australia Open but what can we expect from Elena and Katie? Barry Millns looks at the challenge facing the British women in Melbourne

British tennis, in the shape of Andy Murray and Laura Robson, made an encouraging start to the New Year with their run to the final of the Hopman Cup in Perth. But come the more serious business of the Australian Open in Melbourne, only two other Brits aside from Murray are involved in the main singles draws - Elena Baltacha and Katie O'Brien.

Six other British players tried to qualify for the first major of the new season, but in an all too familiar tale none made it beyond the second round of three. So with Anne Keothavong still recovering from a bad knee injury it's down to Britain's current two highest ranked women to try and show there is more than just Murray for us to shout about on the world stage.

The pair of them are in the bottom quarter of the draw which includes the likes of Dinara Safina, Jelena Jankovic, Marion Bartoli and Maria Sharapova. So it would be no surprise if they were long gone before the second week and anything more than a couple of wins each would be a major achievement.

Baltacha, now 26 and at a career high ranking of 83, did well back in 2005 when she made it to the third round as a qualifier following a couple of tough three-set wins over much higher ranked opponents. She also went so far at Wimbledon in 2002 and after all the struggles she's had with injuries and illness she is more determined than ever to make the most of her opportunities and add to her career tally of eight main draw singles wins in the grand slams.

Last year, as a qualifier, Baltacha dismissed Anna-Lena Groenefeld in straight sets and then took the first set off former champion Amelie Mauresmo before losing in three. She does not have long to wait to get involved this time as she is up first on Court 7 against Pauline Parmentier of France.

Five years ago, at a hard court tournament in Sunderland, Baltacha beat Parmentier in straight sets. With the latter ranked 23 places below her now, Britain's No. 1 starts this match as favourite, currently trading at [1.72] to win against Parmentier at [2.32].

But to go further in the tournament Baltacha could then have to beat the 30th seed Kateryna Bondarenko or the Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru, who beat her in the first round of this year's first event in Auckland after Britain's best had qualified. Either way it would be a match against the odds in which Baltacha would have to do very well to win and following a first round loss in Hobart, where she had also qualified, a main draw victory or two would be a welcome boost for her season ahead.

O'Brien, three years younger than Baltacha and four places lower in the rankings at a career-high No.87 is making only her second appearance in Melbourne. Twelve months ago she managed to qualify at the third attempt but then lost in straight sets in the first round.

In fact, from her eight previous grand slam events O'Brien only has one win to her name which came at Wimbledon in 2007 against a rank outsider, after which she won only one game in the second round. To go that far in Melbourne she must beat Patricia Mayr, an Austrian right-hander who is ranked just three places below her and who's never faced her before.

O'Brien starts the third match on Court 10 as the slight favourite, currently trading at [1.95] to win against Mayr at [1.98]. If the British No.2 advances she should then have her hands full with the 8th seed Jelena Jankovic, assuming the Serb sees off Monica Niculescu of Romania.

But it is, of course, a case of one match at a time and the first day at least could produce three British wins. Make the most of it.

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