A match of 8 years old. 

8 years ago, Elena Dementieva was at the final of Roland Garros. 

Friends turn final foes

Paris, June 4
Russia’s Anastasia Myskina and Elena Dementieva must put their lifelong friendship to one side and go looking for the killer instinct instead when they clash in the French Open final here tomorrow.

The 22-year-old Muscovites met in the Russian capital when they were six, played at the same Spartak club, even shared the same coach and have spent the intervening years building up to this moment as they fight out their first ever Grand Slam final.

“We are pretty good friends, still - I hope,” said Myskina, the older of the two by three months.

“I have known her all of my life. We have grown up together. We used to practice with the same coach, Marat Safin’s mum (Rausa Islanova) and then played junior and team tennis together.

“We did everything together so we know each really well. I know her game, she knows mine so I think the person who wins is going to be the one who is mentally stronger.”

Sixth seed Myskina reached the final, the first Grand Slam ever to feature two Russians, with a hugely impressive 6-2, 6-2 win over 2001 champion Jennifer Capriati after knocking out Venus Williams in the quarterfinals.

Dementieva, the ninth seed, made the final winning a desperately poor semifinal 6-0, 7-5 against Argentina’s Paola Suarez but will approach the showdown with a degree of inside knowledge.

Her coach is Olga Morozova, only one of two Russian women to have made the final here in 107 years of Roland Garros.

She was a finalist in 1974, losing to Chris Evert while Natasha Zvereva also came up short being humiliated 6-0, 6-0 by Steffi Graf in 1988.

“I don’t really see Olga that much,” said Myskina.

“But she’s great and has given Elena a lot of things. She has really improved her. She is an idol in Russia.”

Dementieva joked that they would cancel the final here and play it in Moscow instead.

“Throughout our lives, we must have played each other 30 times and it’s amazing that we are going to be playing the final. Maybe we will take the trophy home and play for it in Moscow.” — AFP

http://www.tribuneindia....04/20040605/sports.htm#2

Elena Dementieva is going to play an exhibition match in Moscow very soon. 

This exhibition match enters into the legend tennis event, I mean many other tennis veterans will play at this exhibition, it is the case of Martina Hingis, Borg, Safin....

Martina Hingis will be Elena's opponent at this event. 

Elena told us that she defeated Martina Hingis the last time they have played together. 

Elena Dementieva told us that Maria Sharapova&Nadal are the favorite at Roland Garros

Elena still studies at the university, she supports her husband who plays ice hockey in Saint Peterbourg. 

Anyway she will be ready for the exhibition match. 

I don't know that date of the exhibition, we will have to follow the sport news.