Kuznetsova faces Dementieva in final
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Svetlana Kuznetsova improved her chances of reaching the number one spot later this year by reaching her second final of 2008 in Dubai.
The world number three from St Petersburg overcame Jelena Jankovic, the world number four, 5-7 6-4 6-3 in the semifinals.
She will now face compatriot Elena Dementieva, who put out Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, in an all-Russian final on Saturday.
In the first set I was playing the right shots but at 5-3 I lost concentration and let her get back, Kuznetsova said.
The same happened in the second set when I got to 3-0. I let her get back. I tried to change that and as the match went on and on I went better and better. In the third set I served better too.
Jankovic was still pleased with her overall improvement, having finished last year exhausted, and begun this year with limited preparation. I started this year healthy but not well prepared because of a back problem. But then I started getting all the injuries probably, because I wasn’t well prepared.
My whole body was falling apart, but now that’s not the case — I am just tired.
Kuznetsova will play the 13th all-Russian WTA Tour singles final when she takes on Dementieva, the former US and French Open runner-up, in the final.
It is also the second all-Russian final in successive weeks, following Maria Sharapova’s victory over Vera Zvonareva in last week’s final in Doha.
The unseeded Dementieva joined her compatriot in the final by winning 5-7 7-5 6-2 against Schiavone, the Italian who on Thursday created a sensation by ending Justine Henin’s four-year unbeaten run in Dubai.
Dementieva said: For sure it was two very difficult matches (against Ana Ivanovic) and today, and I lost a lot of energy. But we are not playing the final until the night and it will be enough time. E-mail to a friend
