Stalwart Dementieva announces retirement after Doha defeat
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Elena Dementieva, the reigning Olympic champion and a winner of 16 singles titles, announced her retirement last night after playing her final match in the season-ending WTA Championships at Doha.
The 29-year-old Russian, who was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Francesca Schiavone, was a stalwart of the women's tour, playing a total of 849 matches and appearing in 46 grand slam tournaments in succession until injury forced her out of Wimbledon this summer.
Dementieva was arguably the best player of recent times not to have won a grand slam title. She lost in the 2004 finals of both the French Open and US Open and was No 3 in the world rankings as recently as last year. She reached the semi-finals of seven other grand slams, including this year's French Open and won a total of $14.1m ( £8.8m) in prize money.
Coached by her mother, Dementieva overcame long-term problems with her serve to become one of the most consistent performers on the tour. She loved representing her country and said that winning the Olympic title meant more to her than any grand slam crown.
An emotional Dementieva broke the news of her retirement to the Doha crowd after her match yesterday. Having thanked officials and fellow players, she added: "The most important thing is that I would like to thank my family, especially my mother. She was very supportive, encouraging and inspiring. She was always there for me."
The world's two top-ranked players, Vera Zvonareva and Caroline Wozniacki, will meet in today's semi-finals in Doha. Kim Clijsters, beaten 6-4, 7-5 by Zvonareva yesterday, will play Sam Stosur.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments