Unseeded Elena Dementieva of Russia clinched her eighth career title and second this year, beating US fourth seed Serena Williams in the final of the Kremlin Cup joint WTA event yesterday.
Dementieva, twice runner-up in Moscow in 2001 and 2004, defeated Williams for the first time in five meetings 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 to regain a place in the world's top 10.
At the award cermony Dementieva praised her fans for their cordial support adding she was extremely happy to win on home soil.
PHOTO: AFP
"It's an incredible feeling when you win at home," Dementieva said. "I'm so happy with myself to win here and even more happy to bring joy to my fans, who supported me throughout the event."
"I knew that in case I failed to win today it could happen never again. And the fact that I never beat Serena [Williams] before helped me. I just came onto the court and played my tennis," she said.
Dementieva broke early in the match but eight-time Grand Slam champion Williams took three consecutive games for a 4-2 lead.
The Russian broke again in the seventh to level at four games all only to throw away the 12th and the set with a string of errors.
In the second the 26-year-old American suddenly ran out of gas, while the local crowd favorite picked up steam and produced three breaks to level at one set all after one hour 13 minutes on court.
Williams, seventh in the WTA rankings, broke immediately in the deciding set but it was her last success in the match as Dementieva replied conclusively taking six consecutive games to clinch the title.
Dementieva pocketed a prize purse of US$182,000, while runner-up Williams, who fired seven aces but committed 59 unforced errors in the match, received US$97,800.
"She played unbelievable!" Williams said of Dementieva's performance. "She should try to play like that more often."
Williams also blamed herself for a poor performance.
"I've made a lot of errors," she said. "It was me. Every ball I hit I felt was out. It was so frustrating."
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS