Week #33: Russia dominates the Olympics, Dementieva takes the Gold Medal

Russian Elena Dementieva got the most beautiful victory of her career taking the Gold Medal in the women's tennis event of the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing. Dementieva, who already got a Silver Medal in Sydney 2000 after losing the final to Venus Williams, had to come back from a set down to defeat fellow Russian Dinara Safina. After defeating WTA #1 Jelena Jankovic in the quarter finals, it looked that Safina was going to win her 3rd title in a row, but she couldn't hold her nerves and her 15 consecutive victories streak was finally broken. Another Russian, Vera Zvonareva, took the bronze after defeating Chinese Na Li, who had a great comeback after a few months injured upsetting WTA #3 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the 1st round. With the withdrawals of Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova, it seemed a good chance for Serena and Venus Williams, but they were defeated in the quarter-finals by Dementieva and Li respectively. At least they managed to capture the Gold Medal in the doubles event with a clear victory over the Spanish pair Medina/Ruano in the final. Local favourites Jie Zheng and Zi Yan got the Bronze Medal for China.
In Cincinnati, Russian Nadia Petrova showed that, after a bad season, she is slowly getting her best tennis back and took the title in this Tier III that featured most of the players not playing in the Olympic Games. Runner-up place was for French veteran Nathalie Dechy.

Olympic Games, Beijing (CHN)
Final: Elena Dementieva (RUS) def Dinara Safina (RUS) 3/6 7/5 6/3
3rd place match: Vera Zvonareva (RUS) def Na Li (CHN) 6/0 7/5
Doubles final: S.Williams/V.Williams (USA) def A.Medina/V.Ruano (ESP) 6/2 6/0
Doubles 3rd place match: J.Zheng/Z.Yan (CHN) def A.Bondarenko/K.Bondarenko (UKR) 6/2 6/2

Cincinnati (USA), Tier III, $175,000
Final: Nadia Petrova (RUS) def Nathalie Dechy (FRA) 6/2 6/1