Dementieva has the last laugh

Dubai: The Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships had a new champion when 11th seed Elena Dementieva upset second seed and tournament favourite Svetlana Kuznetsova before an appreciative audience last night.

Making her Dubai debut, Dementieva took firm control of the match despite being down by a set to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was the chief guest and presented the trophies in the presence of Shaikh Hasher Maktoum, Dubai Director of Information.

This was the ninth meeting between the two Russians with Kuznetsova leading 5-3 going into last night's final. The last time the two met was in the semifinal at New Haven last year which was also won by Kuznetsova when Dementieva retired in the third set.

Aiming for her 10th career title, Kuznetsova started off well as she took the first set 6-4 in 49 minutes. The set took a lot from both the players with each of them managing to hold their serve once each.

The second set was an engrossing one with Dementieva improving with each game to go clear 4-1. But Kuznetsova bid her time and came up with a break, only to see Dementieva take the set 6-3.

In the third set, Dementieva raced to an early 3-0 lead with a break in the second. But Kuznetsova came back with a break in the fifth only to lose her serve in the very next game for 5-2. Dementieve then broke her fellow countrywoman one last time to win the battle of Russia 6-2 in two hours and nine minutes.

"I would like to thank all the people of Dubai for coming out here and supporting me. I love Dubai,'' the new champion said.

Results

Women's singles final: Elena Dementieva (RUS) beat Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Women's doubles final: Cara Black (ZIM) and Liezel Huber (US) beat Yan Zi and Zheng Jie (CHN) 7-5, 6-2.