Dementieva retires from tennis

DOHA, QATAR – Russia’s Elena Dementieva announced today that she is ending her 13-year career and retiring from professional tennis. Winner of the 2008 Olympic Gold medal and 16 WTA singles titles, the two-time Grand Slam finalist has become one of the most respected and admired players in women’s tennis.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported me through my career, including the WTA, all of the tournaments and the staff, all of the WTA players I have had the pleasure of playing with, the sponsors that are so important for our sport, my mother Vera, my family and of course, the fans that have been there for me through the years,” said Dementieva. “While I look forward to the next chapter of my life, I will miss all of you very much.”
“Elena has been a champion and consummate professional on and off the court throughout her career,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA.  “She has also been a catalyst for the growth of the sport in Russia and around the world. We will miss her and wish her the best of luck.”
Dementieva turned professional in 1998 and won her first WTA event at the Bausch & Lomb Championships (Amelia Island) in 2003. She won 576 of her 849 matches, capturing 16 WTA titles, including two this year at the Medibank International (Sydney) and the Open GDF Suez (Paris).
One of the most consistent players in the history of the sport, Dementieva competed in 46 consecutive Grand Slams, only missing this year’s Wimbledon after having to withdraw with a calf injury. Dementieva became the first player from Russia ever to reach the semifinals of the US Open (2000) and was part of the historic first all-Russian Grand Slam final at 2004 Roland Garros, losing to Anastasia Myskina. She has been ranked inside the Top 20 for almost eight straight seasons (since April 21, 2003), reaching a career-high of World No.3 in singles (April 6, 2009) and also achieving a Top 5 ranking in doubles (April 2003).