Bovina Chokes, Dementieva Wins First 2004 Title at WTA Hasselt
Posted on October 4, 2004Elena Dementieva shed her bridesmaid image Sunday at the WTA stop in Hasselt, defeating fellow Russian Elena "Lena" Bovina in a see-saw 0-6, 6-0, 6-4 match for her first title of the year in her fourth final.
"I'm very happy to win my first title of the season today after being so close in the other finals," Dementieva said. "The score may seem strange, but we both played very well, but maybe not at the same time. It's a very special memory for me, I remember all my finals clearly and this is a great moment."
Dementieva was presented with her trophy by Kim Clijsters, who retired from her semifinal match against Bovina after re-injuring her left wrist, likely ending her 2004 campaign.
In the third set Bovina jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held two break points on Dementieva's serve, but could not close. For the choke cherry on top of the choke sundae, Bovina also let Dementieva out of a 0-40 hole in the final game.
Dementieva is now 4-7 career in finals, and Bovina falls to 3-2.
"I played very well in the first set, continuing where I left off last night, but I took my foot off the gas at the start of the second," Bovina said. "That was a little bit of a mistake because Elena's such a great fighter that once you let her into the match it's very difficult. In the third set, from 4-1 she mixed it up a little better, hit the ball deeper and I started feeling a little tired from hitting the ball hard in the longer rallies earlier."
In doubles final, Jennifer Russell and Mara Santangelo claimed their first WTA Tour title in their first final with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Spaniards Nuria Llagostera Vives and Marta Marrero.
"I'm very happy to win my first title of the season today after being so close in the other finals," Dementieva said. "The score may seem strange, but we both played very well, but maybe not at the same time. It's a very special memory for me, I remember all my finals clearly and this is a great moment."
Dementieva was presented with her trophy by Kim Clijsters, who retired from her semifinal match against Bovina after re-injuring her left wrist, likely ending her 2004 campaign.
In the third set Bovina jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held two break points on Dementieva's serve, but could not close. For the choke cherry on top of the choke sundae, Bovina also let Dementieva out of a 0-40 hole in the final game.
Dementieva is now 4-7 career in finals, and Bovina falls to 3-2.
"I played very well in the first set, continuing where I left off last night, but I took my foot off the gas at the start of the second," Bovina said. "That was a little bit of a mistake because Elena's such a great fighter that once you let her into the match it's very difficult. In the third set, from 4-1 she mixed it up a little better, hit the ball deeper and I started feeling a little tired from hitting the ball hard in the longer rallies earlier."
In doubles final, Jennifer Russell and Mara Santangelo claimed their first WTA Tour title in their first final with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Spaniards Nuria Llagostera Vives and Marta Marrero.