Elena Baltacha after she dies aged 30 from liver cancer

Andy Murray was among a number of players to stand on court and pay tribute to the former British No1 Elena Baltacha with a minute's silence at the Mutua Madrid Open on Monday. Baltacha died of liver cancer early on Sunday morning aged 30. Several high-profile players, including Murray and his brother Jamie, observed the tribute on Centre Court at the Manolo Santana Stadium before the start of the tournament's night session. Baltacha 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 released by her family.When yet another attempt to turn around British tennis was launched almost 10 years ago, the buzz phrase was "we need warriors". In Elena Baltacha, they already had one. She might have been a kind, friendly and irrepressibly positive 'warrior', but Baltacha's aggressive baseline style reflected an inner steel that pulled her through far more serious matters than tennis matches. A conversation in 2012, when she was 28, summed up her spirit. It began with an expectation that she would announce her retirement and ended with talk of her reclaiming the British number one spot.The thoughts of the tennis family are full of grief, sadness and support after learning of the passing of Elena Baltacha on Sunday morning. The former British No. 1 died of liver cancer, aged 30. Affectionately known as ‘Bally’, the Scot had retired from the WTA Tour in November 2013, before being diagnosed with cancer in January, just a few weeks after her wedding to coach, Nino Severino. During her career, Baltacha reached a career-high World No. 49 in the WTA Rankings and won 11 singles titles. Aged 19, she was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic liver condition that compromises the immune system.Elena Baltacha, the former British No1, has died from liver cancer at the age of 30. Tributes for Baltacha flooded in on Monday, the former top-50 player described as "one of the shining lights of British women's tennis of recent generations". Baltacha, who was diagnosed at the age of 19 with primary sclerosing cholangitis – a chronic liver condition that compromises the immune system – died peacefully in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to a statement released by her family. The Scot was diagnosed with liver cancer in January, two months after retiring from professional tennis and shortly following her marriage to Nino Severino, her long-standing coach. "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