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DOHA, Qatar (AP)—Beijing Olympics champion Elena Dementieva announced her retirement after bowing out of the WTA Championships on Friday.
Dementieva, who struggled with injuries this year but still won two titles, was eliminated on Thursday from reaching the semifinals, and after losing to French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-2 she made her announcement in a tearful ceremony surrounded by her peers, with her mother Vera courtside.
“It is so emotional. It is so hard to say goodbye. I am going to miss you so much,” the 29-year-old Dementieva said.
Her rivals lined up to pay tribute to Dementieva, whom they described as a tough fighter and a true professional.
“She has been one of the players I grew up with playing in juniors. It’s nice to see her looking forward to something new in her life,” Kim Clijsters said, holding back tears. “She has been one of the most professional players, one of the nicest girls on the court.”
Compatriot Vera Zvonareva said she he’d heard Dementieva talk about retiring during a year in which she overcame shoulder, calf and ankle problems to qualify for the elite WTA Championships for a 10th time.
“Elena is a great player and I think she has been great inspiration for a lot of young Russians,” Zvonareva said. “She was a role model. I looked up to her. She had such a great career. Right now, the whole country will be sad and everyone will support her.”
She considered her biggest achievement winning the Beijing gold medal, for which she had to beat Serena Williams, Zvonareva and Dinara Safina.
Dementieva featured in the first all-Russian Grand Slam final in 2004 at Roland Garros, losing to Anastasia Myskina. Later that year she reached her only other Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open, another all-Russian affair with Svetlana Kuznetsova. Despite some epic wins over Amelie Mauresmo and Jennifer Capriati to reach both finals, neither conclusion was memorable.
She competed in 46 consecutive Grand Slams until she missed this year’s Wimbledon because of a calf injury.
After turning pro in 1998, Dementieva won 16 titles, including Sydney in January with a win over Williams, and the Paris Indoors in February. She was in two more finals in Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.
Dementieva played 18 ties in Fed Cup, spearheading Russia to the 2005 title with all three points in the final.
She has been ranked in the top 20 since April 2003, reaching a career-high of No. 3 last year. She was also a top-five doubles player.
She finishes her career with a 576-273 win-loss record, and a place in the year-end top 10 for the seventh time in eight years.
source:Tennis.com/Bleacherreport
