Former British number one Elena Baltacha has died of liver cancer at the age of 30 after just a year retiring from professional tennis.

Baltacha's husband Nino Severino announced the news Sunday through BBC.

Baltacha was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic liver condition, at the age of 19. Then she was diagnosed with cancer in January.

Despite her illness and injury problems, the Ukraine-born player won 11 singles titles, made the third round of Wimbledon in 2002, reached the third round of the Australian Open in 2005 and 2010, and achieved a career-high world ranking of 49.

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