The Russian invasion of the women's tennis ranks has seen more than 10 of the country's players ranked in the top 50 over the past few years.

And Elena Dementieva, one of the more low-key Russians, who does not seem to get as much attention as her compatriots, has made her presence felt with the ninth title of her career, beating Svetlana Kuznetzova in Dubai

Dementieva's game has largely been held back by her serve, a shot that has failed her throughout her career.

'Her serve is still shaky, especially when the big points come around in a match.'


The fact that the Russian has managed to win matches and tournaments with such a big hole in her game has made it more and more frustrating for her many fans. They, along with tennis pundits, point out that if she can be ranked just outside the top 10 with a bad serve, imagine what she could achieve if she had a decent one.

Dementieva has improved her serve in the last couple of years. It is still shaky, especially when the big points come around in a match, but her competitiveness and mental toughness have made the difference in difficult situations.

Dementieva has twice been a finalist in Grand Slams (the French and US Opens of 2004). There is no doubt that Russian desperately needs a Grand Slam title.

She has the potential and the ability, and if she reaches this goal, she will justifiably receive the attention and respect she truly deserves.