Dementieva battles in quarter-finals

Russia’s Elena Dementieva had to dig deep to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open after dispatching compatriot Vera Zvonareva in three sets.

Seventh-seeded Dementieva took the early initiative but let her lead slip before rallying in the third to claim a 6-4 1-6 6-2 victory that sets up another all-Russian last-eight clash with either Dinara Safina or world number one Maria Sharapova.

Zvonereva, seeded 11th, made a bright start to the opener with two early breaks but Dementieva fought back as her opponent’s serve began to break down, eventually going ahead 5-4 before holding to claim the set.

Dementieva laboured in the second, dropping five games in a row as Zvonerava found an extra gear under a grey Parisian sky.

Dementieva finally held in the sixth, but she was only delaying the inevitable as her opponent took the set in the next game, converting set point with a well executed smash.

But the 26-year-old Dementieva proved too strong for her fellow Moscow native in the decider, racing into a 3-0 lead before closing out the match.