Elena finishes the year #4
9th November 2008
Despite losing to Vera Zvonareva in the semis of the WTA Championships in Doha, Elena will finish the year at #4.  This is Elena's highest ever year end ranking.

Highlights of Elena's year include winning the Olympics, Dubai and Luxembourg and reaching the semis of Wimbledon and the US Open.

Elena into Doha semis
7th November 2008
Following Serena Williams withdrawal, Elena had already qualified for the semis but she had to play a meaningless last group match against alternate Nadia Petrova of Russia 6-4 4-6 6-4 to finish 2nd in the maroon group.

In the semis to be played on Saturday, Elena will play Vera Zvonareva of Russia who is unbeaten in this tournament.  Elena leads the series 4-1 having won the last meeting in the Olympics in August.

Elena 1 win away from semis in Doha
6th November 2008
Elena scored her 1st win at the WTA Championships in Doha today as she defeated Dinara Safina of Russia 6-2 6-4.

In the final match of the Maroon group, Elena will play Serena Williams of the United States.  Elena has played Williams 6 times before and trails the series 2-4 but won the last 2 meetings in Moscow and at the Olympics.  This match is the 2nd match on Friday and whoever wins will be in the semis on Saturday.

Elena loses in Doha
5th November 2008
Elena lost her 1st match at the WTA Championships in Doha to Venus Williams 4-6 6-4 3-6.

Elena will be back on court tomorrow for her 2nd match of 3 against world #2 Dinara Safina of Russia,  Safina leads the series 3-5 but Elena won the last meeting in the Olympics final.  Elena will play each player in her group once and at the top 2 in the group qualify for the semis.  This match will be the 3rd match on court and the schedule begins at 17.00 Doha time.

Elena and Ivanovic play match on Desert Island in Doha
3rd November 2008
To mark the start of the prestigious Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Sony Ericsson staged a unique tennis game in a place that has never been played in before - a desert island. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Doha skyline, Ana Ivanovic and Elena Dementieva rallied on a replica tennis court, specially built for the occasion, on Palm Island in the middle of Doha Bay in the Arabian Gulf.

To read more click here.


WTA Championships groups drawn
2nd November 2008
The groups have been drawn for the final event of 2008 at the WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar and Elena has been drawn in the Maroon group alongside Dinara Safina, Serena Williams and Venus Williams.  Elena will play her first match against Safina.  Safina leads the series 3-5 but Elena won the last meeting in the Olympics final.  Elena will play each player in her group once and at the top 2 in the group qualify for the semis.

Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva are in the white group.

Elena has played this event 7 times before and she reached the semis in 2000 when she made her debut in New York.  Since then Elena's record hasn't been the best, hopefully Elena can rectify it this week.

Elena Dementieva: 2008 Luxembourg Champion
26th October 2008
Elena has won her 3rd title of the year and 11th title of her career today at the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg as she defeated #4 seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 2-6 6-4 7-6 in 2 hours and 27 minutes.  Well done Elena!

After the final Elena said: "I feel like I just won a Grand Slam.  I think it was the most difficult final I've ever played.  Caroline was playing so well - she has such a good defensive game, but was also hitting really good drop shots and passing
shots. I had to stay positive and aggressive and I'm so happy I was able to win."

5th final of 2008
25th October 2008
Elena is through to her 5th final of 2008 in Luxembourg after she defeated #8 seed Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2 6-2 in exactly an hour.

In the final to be played on Sunday, Elena will play either Na Li of China or Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.  Elena has a 50% record in finals this year.



Another straight sets win for Elena
24th October 2008
Elena is continuing her good form in Luxembourg as she defeated #5 seed Amelie Mauresmo 6-4 6-0 to advance to the semis.

In the semis Elena will play #8 seed Sorana Cirstea of Romania, they have played once before on grass earlier this year and Elena won in straight sets.

Elena into Luxembourg Quarters
23rd October 2008
Elena defeated Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-2 6-2 to advance to the quarters in Luxembourg. 

In the quarters to be played on Friday, Elena will play #5 seed Amelie Mauresmo of France or Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany.  Elena has played Mauresmo 13 times before and trails the series 5-8, but won the last meeting in Stuttgart last year in straight sets.

Elena through to Luxembourg 2nd round
21st October 2008
Elena is through to the 2nd round in Luxembourg after she defeated Tatjana Malek of Germany 7-6 6-2. 

In the 2nd round Elena will play Gisela Dulko of Argentina, they have played 3 times before and Elena trails 1-2, but Elena did win the last meeting at Wimbledon this year in straight sets.

Luxembourg draw released
18th October 2008
The draw for the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg has been released and Elena is the top seed and will face a qualifier in the 1st round.  The 1st seed Elena can meet is #5 seed Amelie Mauresmo of France in the quarters.

Click here for the full draw.

Luxembourg is a tier 3 and is Elena's last event of the year indoors and she has played here once before in 2006 and reached the quarters.

Elena to play Sydney
16th October 2008
Elena will be playing the medibank International in Sydney which begins on January 11th.  Elena will be playing 2 warm-up events before the 1st Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open which begins on January 19th.

This year Elena played Sydney and lost in the 1st round, Elena's best ever result in Sydney was reaching the semis in 2005.

Happy Birthday Elena!
15th October 2008
Today is Elena's 27th birthday.  Happy Birthday Elena!

Elena to play Auckland
13th October 2008
Elena will make her 2009 debut at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.  This will be Elena's 1st appearance in Auckland and the tournament will begin on January 5th.  The Australian season has never been one of Elena's strongest parts of the year, lets hope the change in schedule and give Elena a good start to 2009.  Due to the 2009 roadmap, Elena can only play one lower level event in the first part of the year and this is it due to Elena being top 10.

Elena out of Moscow
11th October 2008
Elena is out of Moscow in the semis after she lost 6-0 1-6 0-6 to #1 seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.

Elena's next tournament will be the tier 3 event in Luxembourg and she will be top seed.  Luxembourg begins on October 20th.

Moscow Quarter-final interview after win over Petrova
10th October 2008
Q. Congratulations with your victory! What can you say about todays match? You announced more than once that you don’t like to play your compatriots, didn’t you?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Thank you. I didn’t say, that I don’t like to play our tennis players, it’s mostly journalists suggestions, as for me I don’t care. Moreover I had to get used to it long ago as five tennis players in top ten are Russians that’s why it can happen at any gross match. As for today's match it wasn’t easy at all, there were many emotions. And when emotions come into the game it’s rarely influences on the level of tennis positively. And what a gripping tie-break at the end! It was a very difficult match.  Click here to read more.

Elena through to Moscow semis after another thriller
10th October 2008
2 matches played in Moscow, 2 3rd set tie-breaks.  This time Elena defeated Nadia Petrova of Russia 6-4 4-6 7-6 to advance to the semis for the 6th straight year.  Elena won the tie-break 8-6.

In the semis to be played on Saturday, Elena will play top seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.  Elena has played Jankovic 8 times before and trails the series 3-5.  The last meeting was at the US Open last month which Elena lost in 2 sets.  They have never played indoors.

Elena vs Petrova
9th October 2008
Elena will play her quarter-final match in Moscow on Friday.  Elena will play Nadia Petrova of Russia.  Elena has played Petrova 12 times before and she trails the series 7-5 but she did win their last match at Wimbledon on grass in the summer.  This match will be played on Centre Court and it will start at 11.00 local time.

Elena into Moscow Quarters
8th October 2008
Elena is through to the quarters in Moscow after she defeated Katarina Srebotnik of 6-3 4-6 7-6. 

Elena won the tie-break 7-2 to stop a run of 2 straight losses to Srebotnik.

In the quarters to be played on Friday Elena will play either Nadia Petrova of Russia or Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

Moscow draw released
4th October 2008
It's that time of year again, Elena's home tournament where she will be seeded #3 seed in Moscow.  Elena has a bye in the 1st round and will play Alona Bondarenko of the Ukraine or a qualifier in the 2nd round.  The 1st seed Elena can meet is #8 seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia in the quarters. 

Click here for the full draw.

Moscow is a tier 1 event played indoors and last year Elena achieved one of dreams in tennis by winning here, can she repeat this year?

Elena out of Stuttgart
3rd October 2008
Elena is out of Stuttgart at the quarter-final stage after she lost 6-7 6-3 1-6 to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. 

Elena's next tournament will be Moscow beginning on Monday.  Elena is the defending champion.

Elena through to Stuttgart Quarters
1st October 2008
Elena is through to the quarters in Stuttgart as she defeated Sybille Bammer of Austria 6-1 6-4.

In the quarters to be played on Friday, Elena will play Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.  Elena has played Azarenka twice before and she won both matches.  The last match in Charleston earlier this year on clay which Elena won in 2 sets.

Elena to play Bammer in Stuttgart
30th September 2008
Elena will open her campaign in Stuttgart against Sybille Bammer of Austria in the 2nd round on Wednesday.  Elena has played Bammer twice before and the series is tied 1-1, the last meeting was at the US Open last year which Bammer won in 2 sets.

The match will start at around 20.30 German time.

Stuttgart draw released
28th September 2008
The draw for the Porsche tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany has been released and Elena is the #4 seed and has a bye in the 1st round.  In the 2nd round, Elena will play either Sybille Bammer of Austria or Tatjana Malek of Germany.  The 1st seed Elena can meet is Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the quarters.  Click here for the full draw.

Last year Elena reached the quarters losing to champion Justine Henin and has reached that stage the last 2 years.  Stuttgart is a tier 2 played indoors.


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