Elena Dementieva rallies past Svetlana Kuznetsova for Dubai title

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Wilson Blade 9

Elena Dementieva came from a set down and beat fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6 6-3 6-2 for the title at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.

World No.11 Dementieva, who became the first-ever Russian singles champion in Dubai, won her ninth career single title today.

Eighth-seeded Dementieva won the Dubai title on her event debut, while second seed Kuznetsova suffered her second loss in Dubai final, last time was in 2004 to Justine Henin.

After Kuznetsova took the first set and won the first game of the second, Dementieva reeled off four straight games to take control of the second and broke serve in the ninth game to send the match to the third set. Dementieva continued her confident play and captured the first three games of the final set, but Kuznetsova won the next two with a break of serve in the fifth game. Dementieva broke right back to again take control and captured the next two games to finish the match.

The 26-year-old Dementieva is expected to move up one ranking to No.10, pushing Serena Williams to No.11, while Kuznetsova will remain world No.3.

On her way to the title, Dementieva beat Patty Schnyder, Alona Bondarenko, third seed Ana Ivanovic, Francesca Schiavone, and finally Kuznetsova. Interestingly, in the final three matches Dementieva lost the first set.

Winning the Barclays Dubai Tennis Champinships crown, Dementieva earned $250,000.

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