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Dementieva Sets Sights on Dubai Tennis

DUBAI — Elena Dementieva is thrilled to be returning to the scene of one of her greatest triumphs as she competes in the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships next week.

The Olympic gold medalist made the most stunning of debuts here two years ago when she swept to the title with victories over world number two Ana Ivanovic and number three Svetlana Kuznetsova.

“That was one of the best wins of my career,” Dementieva recalled. “It was just an unforgettable experience.

“It was my first time playing the tournament and winning such a big title gave me so much confidence for the future. I just love coming back to play in Dubai.”

The Russian world number seven was unsure what to expect when she first arrived in the emirate, and she was very impressed with what she found.

“Before I first came to Dubai I was thinking it was a traditional place and I was very surprised to see - it’s very international and there is everything for tourists,” she said.

“There’s such a nice welcome and you can feel a very friendly atmosphere. It’s a different culture, a different place and it’s interesting getting to know a little bit more about Dubai,” she added.