No. 1 seed, Elena Dementieva of Russia, defeated unseeded Czech, Lucie Safarova, in a close 3-set match to win the championship of the GDF Suez tennis tournament. No. 7 ranked Dementieva dropped a close first set in a tie-break, 6-7 (5-7), but rallied to take the final two sets 6-1, 6-4 over No. 39 ranked Safarova.
It was somewhat of a repeat of her semifinal win over American Melanie Oudin where Dementieva also dropped the first set before rallying for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win.
The win gives Dementieva her second title of 2010. She also won the Australian Open tuneup in Sydney. Dementieva then had a tough draw in Melbourne and lost to eventual runner-up Justine Henin in the second round of the year’s first Grand Slam event.
Dementieva, who was runner-up at this event last year, improved her career record in WTA Tour finals to 16-14. Safarova, meanwhile, was going for her fifth career title, and first since Forest Hills in 2008.
Dementieva collects $107,000 with the win.
Head to head, Dementieva is now 2-0 against Safarova. Dementieva won their only other match 7-5, 6-3 in the 2005 US Open.
