 Baltacha will be looking to step up her game for the Australian Open
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Elena Baltacha was brushed aside by Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru to lose 6-2 6-2 in round one of the ASB Classic.
Britain's number one came through qualifying with victory over Canadian Stephanie Dubois, but rarely threatened Olaru, ranked 12 places higher at 72.
Baltacha will now focus her attentions on Hobart next week before featuring in the main draw at the Australian Open.
Britain's Jamie Ward faces Spain's Marcel Granollers in the Chennai Open first round in India later on Tuesday.
Despite Baltacha's early exit, her progression, along with Ward's, at the start of the new year is a welcome boost for British tennis in 2010.
Baltacha came through qualifying in Auckland as the fourth seed and lived up to that billing with wins over Canada's Sharon Fichman, Severine Bremond-Beltrame of France and Dubois.
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After losing to Olaru on Tuesday, she is likely to enter qualifying in Hobart and feature at the Australian Open which starts on 18 January alongside British number two Katie O'Brien.
Ward guaranteed his participation at the Chennai Open with a qualifying win over Israel's Noam Okun.
The 22-year-old, who has been working with Greg Rusedski, spent some of the off-season training with Rafael Nadal.
It is only the second ATP-level tournament for which the world number 272 has qualified, having only recently returned to full fitness following a bout of glandular fever.
Ward also defeated India's Karan Rastogi and Marsel Ilhan of Turkey in qualifying.
The British number four is hoping a good run of form will put him in the reckoning for Britain's Davis Cup team to face Lithuania in March.
British number one Andy Murray has revealed he will not play in the tie, in order to allow younger players to gain experience in the competition.
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