Sports
Elena Dementieva was Russia's last hope in Doha (AFP Photo / Karim Jaafar)
No Russians left in Doha
Published 31 October, 2009, 13:12
Edited 31 October, 2009, 16:14
There won't be a single Russian on court in the semi-finals of the end-of-season WTA championships.
Venus Williams will take on Jelena Jankovic in the first semi in Doha this afternoon, and that will be followed by the match between the new world number one Serena Williams and Dane Caroline Wozniacki.
Elena Dementieva was Russia’s last remaining hope of making the semis, but she was knocked out after losing her final group game against fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.
It was an easy affair for Kuznetsova. She took the first set 6-3, with the second a straightforward 6-2, serving an ace on match-point. This meant that Venus Williams and not Dementieva would progress to the last four.
There was some good news for Russian tennis overall, however.
It now looks like Dinara Safina will be fit in time for the Australian Open after all. The outgoing world number one retired from the Doha championships with a lower back injury on Wednesday.
It was feared she'd stay sidelined for at least six weeks, but Safina has now confirmed she will play in Brisbane in January as preparation for the first major of the year.
