Elena Dementieva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Elena Dementieva
Елена Дементьева

Dementieva at the 2010 US Open
Country (sports)	Russia
Residence	Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born	(1981-10-15) 15 October 1981 (age 43) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	1998
Retired	2010
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$14,867,437 42nd in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	576–273 (67.84%)
Career titles	16
Highest ranking	No. 3 (6 April 2009)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	SF (2009)
French Open	F (2004)
Wimbledon	SF (2008, 2009)
US Open	F (2004)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2000, 2008)
Olympic Games	W (2008)
Doubles
Career record	152–86 (63.87%)
Career titles	6
Highest ranking	No. 5 (14 April 2003)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	3R (2005, 2006, 2007)
French Open	3R (2004)
Wimbledon	SF (2003)
US Open	F (2002, 2005)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2002)
Olympic Games	1R (2004)
Mixed doubles
Career record	1–1
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	QF (2004)
Medal record Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Singles Silver 2000 Sydney Singles

Elena Dementieva (born 15 October 1981) is a Russian former professional tennis player. She won the singles gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She had also won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Elena won 16 singles titles from the WTA. She reached the finals of two major tournaments, the 2004 French Open and the 2004 US Open. She also made it to the semifinals of seven other Grand Slam events.

Dementieva was part of the Russian team that won the 2005 Fed Cup. In doubles, she won the 2002 WTA Championships. She also reached two US Open doubles finals. Her highest ranking was world No. 3, which she achieved on 6 April 2009. Elena retired from tennis on 29 October 2010.

Elena's Early Life and Family

Elena Dementieva was born in Moscow, Russia. Her parents, Viatcheslav and Vera, both enjoyed playing tennis. When she was seven, some tennis clubs did not accept her. But she later joined the Spartak Tennis Club.

She was coached by Rauza Islanova for three years. Later, her mother Vera and older brother Vsevolod also coached her. Elena has homes in Monte Carlo, Monaco; Moscow, Russia; and Boca Raton, Florida, USA. In 2011, she married hockey player Maxim Afinogenov. They have two children, Veronika (born 2014) and Sergey (born 2016).

Elena's Tennis Journey

Elena Dementieva played and won her first international tournament at age 13. It was called Les Petits As in France. In 1997, she joined the top 500 players in the WTA rankings. She became a professional player in 1998. By 1999, she was in the top 100.

Starting as a Pro (1999–2002)

In 1999, Elena played for Russia in the Fed Cup final. She won Russia's only point by beating Venus Williams. She also played in her first Grand Slam tournaments. These are the four biggest tennis events each year.

In 2000, she entered the top 20 players. She became the first Russian woman to reach the US Open semifinals. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Elena won a silver medal. She was named the WTA Tour's Most Improved Player that year.

In 2001, Elena became the top-ranked Russian player. In 2002, she and her partner Janette Husárová reached the US Open doubles final. They also won the year-end WTA Tour Championships. Elena beat the world No. 1 player, Martina Hingis, for the first time in 2002.

Breaking into the Top 10 (2003)

In 2003, Elena played in many tournaments. She won her first WTA Tour title at Amelia Island. She also won two more titles in Bali and Shanghai. Elena finished the year in the top 10 for the first time, at world No. 8.

Two Grand Slam Finals (2004)

The year 2004 was a big one for Elena. She reached her first Grand Slam final at the French Open. She played against her fellow Russian, Anastasia Myskina, but lost.

Later that year, Elena reached her second Grand Slam final at the US Open. She lost to another Russian player, Svetlana Kuznetsova. After the US Open, Elena won a title in Hasselt.

Staying Strong (2005–2006)

In 2005, Elena reached six semifinals, including at the US Open. She also helped Russia win the Fed Cup again. She won three matches in the final, including the deciding doubles match.

Dementieva playing at the 2006 US Open

In 2006, Elena won her first Tier I event, the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. She beat Martina Hingis in the final. She also reached her first Wimbledon quarterfinal. In August, Elena won the tournament in Los Angeles. She reached the quarterfinals of the US Open for the fourth time.

A Small Dip (2007)

In 2007, Elena won two titles. She had a rib injury that kept her off the tour for nine weeks. This caused her to drop out of the top 10 for a while. She won her first singles title on red clay in Istanbul. Elena also beat Serena Williams for the first time in Moscow.

Olympic Gold and Comeback (2008)

Dementieva at the 2008 Luxembourg Open

Elena started 2008 strong by winning the Dubai Tennis Championships. She beat world No. 2, Ana Ivanovic, along the way. She reached the final of the German Open in Berlin.

At the Beijing Olympics, Elena won the gold medal in singles. She beat Serena Williams in the quarterfinals. Then she defeated Vera Zvonareva and Dinara Safina to win the gold. This was a huge moment in her career.

Dementieva at the 2008 WTA Tour Championships

At the US Open, Elena reached the semifinals. Her ranking improved to world No. 4. She also won the Luxembourg Open later that year.

Reaching World No. 3 (2009)

Elena started 2009 by winning two tournaments in a row: the Auckland Open and the Sydney International. She beat Serena Williams and Dinara Safina in Sydney.

Dementieva at the 2009 Australian Open

At the Australian Open, Elena's 15-match winning streak ended in the semifinals. She lost to Serena Williams. In April, she reached her highest ranking ever: world No. 3.

Dementieva at the 2009 Cincinnati Open

At Wimbledon, Elena reached the semifinals for the second time. She played a very long match against Serena Williams, but lost. Later in 2009, she won her third title of the year at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. After the US Open, Elena received the Order of Honour from the Russian president. This award is for high achievements.

Her Last Year (2010)

Dementieva at the 2010 Hopman Cup

Elena started 2010 by winning the Sydney International again. She beat world No. 1 Serena Williams in the final. She also won the Open GdF Suez in Paris.

Dementieva at the 2010 US Open

At the French Open, Elena reached the semifinals. She had to retire from the match due to a calf muscle injury. This injury also made her miss Wimbledon. She played her last tournament at the WTA Tour Championships.

Retirement

After her last match on 29 October 2010, Elena Dementieva announced her retirement. She ended her career ranked world No. 9. She had won 16 singles titles and reached two Grand Slam finals. She said it was an honor to be part of the tennis tour.

How Elena Played Tennis

Elena Dementieva was an offensive baseline player. This means she liked to hit powerful shots from the back of the court. Her forehand was very strong. While her serve improved a lot over her career, it was sometimes seen as her weaker point.

Career Statistics

Singles Performance in Major Tournaments

Fed Cup Play

Elena Dementieva often played for the Russian Fed Cup team. She had a strong record of 26 wins and 9 losses. This included wins over famous players like Venus Williams and Amélie Mauresmo.

In 2005, Elena almost single-handedly helped Russia win the Fed Cup. She won two singles matches and the deciding doubles match with Dinara Safina.

Images for kids

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  Vladimir Putin and Dementieva

See also

In Spanish: Yelena Deméntieva para niños