• What the Deuce

The lynchpin of the Russian empire

Elena Dementieva announced her retirement after defeat to Francesca Schiavone in Doha © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Dementieva hangs up her racket
  
• Profile: Elena Dementieva
• Gallery: Elena Dementieva: A career in pictures

When Anna Kournikova burst onto the tennis scene in the late 90s, she sparked a Russian revolution in women's tennis.

Elena Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina made history at Roland Garros in 2004 when they competed in the first all-Russian major final. Myskina became Russia's first female grand slam champion, and her triumph swiftly paved the way for Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

It was like London buses - you wait for ages for one to come along, and then three come at once. Three straight Russian grand slam champions in the space of four months, and all under the age of 23.

It signalled the start of the Russian empire; after Kuznetsova's victory at Flushing Meadows, there were five Russians in the WTA top ten: Dementieva, Kuznetsova, Myskina, Sharapova and Vera Zvonareva.

The year was undoubtedly the breakthrough for Russian women, winning the Fed Cup for the first time; the start of a period of Russian dominance, winning the title four times in five years.

Myskina will always be remembered for being the first to win a grand slam; Sharapova the first Russian world No. 1. But while Myskina called it a day in 2007, and Sharapova has yo-yoed up and down the rankings after a series of injuries, one woman has been the mainstay of Russian tennis.

In August 2008 there were six Russians in the world top ten - in June 2009, just one remained: Dementieva.

Dementieva stunned the tennis world on Friday when she announced her retirement from the game after a 12-year career. 16 tour titles, an Olympic gold medal and $14 million in prize money is not a bad haul, but grand slam titles are conspicuous by their absence.

While she will never be ranked alongside the true greats of women's tennis such as Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, Dementieva can reasonably stake a claim to be Russia's best female tennis player.

Dementieva led a Russian clean sweep at the Beijing Olympics © Getty Images

Enlarge

Part of Roger Federer's greatness comes from his longevity - his stunning 23-straight grand slam semi-finals and his occupancy in the world's top ten for the best part of a decade.

Dementieva is clearly not Federer - the Swiss has won 16 grand slam titles to the Russian's zero. She is more of an Andy Roddick, perhaps, a perennial under-achiever yet a constant presence in world's top ten. Save for a brief respite in 2007, Dementieva has been the bastion of women's tennis since breaking into the top ten in 2003, and in a sport where the membership top ten changes on an almost weekly basis, it is certainly something worth shouting about.

While Dementieva and Roddick have been a constant presence in tennis' elite, in their playing styles they couldn't be further apart. Roddick is the world record holder for the fastest serve at 155 miles per hour, while Dementieva's serve has been a major sticking point for the duration of her career.

Back in 2004 at her first major final, Dementieva committed ten double faults as she fell 6-1 6-2. At the 2006 US Open quarter-finals she lost by the same scoreline to Jelena Jankovic without managing to hold a single service game. But what she lacks in aces, she makes up for in her work ethic.

Dementieva's fitness and athleticism is second to none on the women's tour and a major factor of her staying power was her ability to look after her body. When she was forced to retire from her French Open semi-final against Francesca Schiavone with a calf injury in June - it signalled the beginning of the end. It proved to be her last chance for grand slam glory, and so it was fitting that she should announce her retirement after defeat to the same player.

"I was far from being perfect, but I had a great fighting spirit," Dementieva said during her press conference on Friday. "Even without a good serve, I was struggling for so many matches, but I was fighting and I never gave up. I was giving 100% no matter who I was playing.

"You don't have to be perfect, but you have to try hard. And I did all the time."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.