The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Elena Dementieva gives Russia the lead

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Monday, Sep 19, 2005

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Sport - Tennis

Elena Dementieva gives Russia the lead

Mauresmo succumbs to pressure

PARIS: : Elena Dementieva gave defending champion Russia a 2-1 lead against host France on the final day of the Fed Cup final here on Sunday when she defeated home hope Amelie Mauresmo in three sets.

Dementieva won 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in 2 hours, 42 minutes as the demons of the Philippe Chatrier Centre Court at Roland Garros returned to haunt Mauresmo.

World No. 4 Mauresmo had drawn the host level 1-1 on Saturday after defeating 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 6-2 after Dementieva had beaten the U.S. Open finalist Mary Pierce 7-6 (/1), 2-6, 6-1.

"I'll never forget this moment in front of 15,000 spectators and nearly 3 hours on court", said Dementieva who is now 5-5 in meetings with Mauresmo.

"I think it makes a difference if you're playing for your country. I'm proud to play for Russia and it gives me extra motivation with the support of all the fans who have come to Paris to support us".

Mauresmo had fought back after struggling early against eighth-ranked Dementieva. But the 26-year-old Frenchwoman, who has in the past crumbled playing in front of the home crowd here, once again succumbed to the pressure.

Both players struggled with their serve early on exchanging breaks in the first seven games.

Frenchwoman unnerved

But nerves got the better of Mauresmo and after contesting a line call which she believed long she dropped serve again in the seventh game to hand Dementieva a 4-3 advantage. Mauresmo admitted she had been unnerved by the call.

"The mistake by the referee put me off," said Mauresmo. "I think the difference was physical, especially at the end of the match. It's tough but it's not over. I'm going to rest before the doubles".

Mauresmo looked as if she could turn things around in the second set as she rushed to a 3-0 lead. But Dementieva held and broke the Frenchwoman again with a superb forehand cross-court winner down the line to level 3-3.

Mauresmo took the following game to love 4-3, and as Dementieva wilted late in the second set the French player drew level one set all after just under two hours on court.

But nothing went the Frenchwoman's way in the final set.

Mauresmo dropped her opening service game, buried by yet another Dementieva winner down the line, and failed to convert break chances in the second game to let the Russian break for 3-0.

Mauresmo broke in the fourth game and came back 2-3 but a double-fault handed the Russian 5-2, and Dementieva took the tie on her first match point to love when her opponent netted.

The results: Russia leads France 2-1 (Amelie Mauresmo bt Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 6-2; Elena Dementieva bt Mauresmo 6-4, 4-6, 6-2). — Agencies

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