Dementieva announces unexpected retirement

DOHA: Olympic champion Elena Dementieva unexpectedly announced her retirement at the age of only 29 after losing her last group match at the year-end WTA Tour Championships here on Friday.

Dementieva, who reached two Grand Slam finals but enjoyed her greatest moment at the Beijing Games, bowed out amidst tearful scenes after a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Francesca Schiavone, the French Open champion from Italy.

Many people expected the tall, heavy-hitting Muscovite to carry on for a while yet, and make a few more attempts at the elusive Grand Slam title her powerful game seemed more than capable of achieving.

But the Russian has been troubled by injury and seemed to be hampered by an ankle problem that restricted her movement this week.

"It's so difficult to say goodbye," she said, fighting back her emotions.

She explained: "When I talked to my family about this decision I was ready for them to support me, but they were very surprised.

"They said you can play a couple of years and win many tournaments - but if you feel this way you have to make this decision. I think no-one was really happy about it except my boy-friend!"

That hinted, as Dementieva confirmed, at her hope to start a family.

"If I were a man I would not stop playing," she said.

In the meantime she plans to increase her studies at the University of Moscow.

Tearful compatriot Vera Zvonareva seemed to find the farewell more difficult.

"Russia is proud of you, and proud of what you have done," Zvonareva said, her voice quavering. "Not only for Russian tennis, but for Russian sport you have been an inspiration."

The retirement is all the more unexpected since Dementieva has worked so hard over the past two years to remodel a flawed service action that many believed had prevented her from winning one of the majors.

She lost in the final of both the French Open and the US Open in 2004, after which there seemed to be plenty of time to go all the way.

But she had to be content with the Olympic gold medal she won two years ago, a triumph that had a major impact in her own country, although it is not usually regarded as one of the major titles in tennis.