Unseeded Dementieva wins Dubai title

DUBAI -- Unseeded Elena Dementieva came through a star-studded field to lift the Dubai Open title with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 defeat of Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova, the second seed and former US Open champion.

Dementieva was making her first visit to the tournament and was surprised by her instant success.

The 26-year-old from Moscow missed nine weeks last year with a rib injury but should now have the confidence that she can return to the world's top 10.

"Now I realize how good I can be on the court," she said, adding that victory was for her mother, Vera.

"All I have done in my life - it's for her," Dementieva said. "I'm so glad she's here to share it with me. I'm so happy for her. To see her smiling is a pleasure for me."

Dementieva displayed superb ground strokes, fine court coverage, and fine variations of to win a far from classic match with 14 breaks of serve.

The standard was disappointing in the first set with seven breaks in 10 games. Dementieva's serve was vulnerable but Kuznetsova failed to convert many chances after taking a 2-0 lead.

The second seed had game points in both the next two games but instead of enjoying the cushion of a 4-0 lead she slipped 2-3 down.

Her superior power enabled to come out on top 6-4.

Dementieva was more impressive in the second set and took a 4-1 lead before before Kuznetsova fought back to within two points of drawing level.

Dementieva survived and squared the match at 6-3. She stretched her run of winning games to five to be 3-0 up but once again Kuznetsova rallied.

She held serve for the first time in three tries, was handed a break-back when Dementieva twice double-faulted, and got to within a point of 3-3.

Kuznetsova faltered at a key point, netting a forehand drive from mid-court.

Within two points Dementieva had broken again for 4-2, and within five minutes she had served for 5-2 as the momentum swung entirely around again.

"It's my first time here and it's such a big win," she smiled. "It's the best match I have played in a long time.

"I was playing it wrong tactically in the first set. I had to move her more and be aggressive, to mix it up but really attack her a lot."

Kuznetsova acknowledged Dementieva was an outstanding player who may challenge again for Grand Slam titles, but said:"I had my opportunities and I am very disappointed that I couldn't take them."

Defending champion Roger Federer will play 12th-ranked Andy Murray in the opening round of the Dubai men's championships.

Rafael Nadal will face Phillipp Kohlschreiber and Andy Roddick will make his Dubai debut against Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The tournament, which includes the top six players in the field of 32, starts on Monday at the Aviation Club.

Federer, a four-time champion, has lost only two matches in Dubai -- to Rainer Schuettler of Germany in 2002 and Nadal in the 2006 final.

Murray won his last meeting with Federer, in the second round of the 2006 ATP Masters in Cincinnati.

Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic opens against Marin Cilic. The Serb could then play Mikhail Youzhny, who lost to Federer in the final last year.

Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky became the first lucky loser in 17 years to win an ATP tour title when he defeated Croatian top seed Ivan Ljubicic in the Zagreb final on Saturday.

Stakhovsky, who was beaten in the qualifying competition, won 7-5 6-4 to bely his world ranking of 209.

"It's like a dream for me and I hope it's the start of a great career," said the 22-year-old who knocked out second seed Ivo Karlovic as well as eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic on his way to his maiden final.

The last lucky loser to win a title was Argentina's Christian Miniussi who took the Sao Paolo trophy in 1991.

Ljubicic, the world 25, said: "He played phenomenally and didn't give me a chance. He was the better player." E-mail to a friend