Elena Baltacha has conceded she was lucky to make it through to the second round of the BNP Paribas Open after the world number 65 (100/1 to win the tournament) edged past Alexa Glatch.

The 26-year-old Brit scraped through into the second round at Indian Wells by beating American wildcard Glatch 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 and will now face China’s seventh seed Li Na (33/1 to win the tournament).

Baltacha wasn’t at her best in the first round and will have to step it up against Li having been beaten by her 6-2 7-5 in Eastbourne last year.

However, the only British woman left in the tournament after Anne Keothavong’s exit to Russian Anna Chakvetadze was feeling optimistic about overcoming her more established opponent.

“I’ve got nothing to lose. It’s always nice to be the underdog, just to go out there and swing freely,” said Baltacha.

Elsewhere at Indian Wells tournament favourite Justin Henin cruised through to the second round by beating Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2 6-2 to set up a second round meeting with Argentina’s Gisela Dulko (9/1 to beat Henin in the second round match betting).

The 27-year-old was playing her first match since she lost the Australian Open final to Serena Williams (9/4 to win Wimbledon) in January and made light work of her Slovakian opponent by beating her in 68-minutes.

Henin, who is unseeded for the Paribas Open, said she was feeling confident about her chances at the event having won it back in 2004.

“It was a very good feeling. This is a tournament I like a lot,” said Henin.