Elena Dementieva officially got her season underway today at the Medibank International, from Sydney, with a win over former top ten player Ai Sugiyama.
Sugiyama forced to play in the qualifying draw due to the strong main field was literally a clock-bomb awaiting to be delivered in the main draw. Dementieva, drawn against a qualifier was most certainly praying not to get her former doubles partner, a player she has had fearless battles in tha past, in the first round. In Head-to-head terms Dementieva led the Japanese 3-2 leading up to this event, having claimed the last 3 wins, being the last two in three sets.
And the match did not disappoint. For the first two sets both players swapped blows at each other in long rallies and some great plays. Sugiyama drew first blood 7-6(3), only to have Dementieva returning the favour with a similar 7-6(3). But in the third set Dementieva showed why she is tipped as one of the most well physically prepared players on the tour and crushed Sugiyama in the third set, making no allowances eventually clinching a (3)6-7; 7-6(3); 6-0 victory and improvign her head-to-hed to 4-2 versus Ai Sugiyama.
In the next round, Dementieva will face Chinese stand-out Na Li, who dumped 2006 finalist Francesca Schiavone in the first round in straight sets. Dementieva and Li have played once before with Dementieva claiming their only meeting in straight sets at the 2006 Indian Wells Tier I tournament.
On other news on the Medibank International, Martina Hingis was dumped out of the tournament by recent Auckland Winner Jelena Jankovic in three sets. Samantha Stosur also advanced comfortably powering her way past Vera Zvonareva. Home favourite Nicole Pratt claimed the second surprise upset of the day, downing Gold Coast Winner Dinara Safina in three sets, after the Russian ran out of gas after the first set. Golovin routinely disposed of Shuai Peng while Katarina Srebotnik ended Elena Bovina’s comeback attempt.
