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BERLIN : Dinara Safina hailed her win as the biggest of her career as she battled back from a set down to beat Elena Dementieva in an all-Russian final at the German Open on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Safina had never lost to her compatriot in their previous two meetings on clay and overcame losing the first set to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win in front of 5,800 spectators.
Safina's sixth WTA tour title was one that most observers here feel she has deserved, having beaten world number one Justine Henin and ended Serena Williams' 17-match unbeaten run on the way to the final.
"I am the happiest person in the world and this has been the biggest success of my career," said Safina.
"When I lost the first set, I thought, 'There is no way I am going to lose this, come on, give it all you have and win these next two games'.
"The drop shots were the key, I think about 18 of the 20 I tried came off and it has something that has really improved during the week.
"I have found my game on clay, I just want to stay fit and healthy in preparation for Roland Garros.
"I can enjoy it today, but tomorrow is another day, I have to get back on court and start working all over again."
With her brother Marat Safin also winning his qualifier at the Hamburg Masters Series on Sunday, it was a good day for the family.
"I am really pleased for him, as well as myself," beamed the Russian.
"Before we left to come to Germany we had a bit of a fight because he said I was doing everything wrong.
"But look, brother, I am on the right path," she said in a personal message to her sibling.
And with her mother and coach Raouza Islanova watching, Safina said she will treat her mum to whatever she wants to buy from the shops of Berlin as it was Mother's Day in Germany on Sunday.
For beaten finalist Dementieva it was a bitter pill to swallow after taking the first set in comfortable fashion, only to lose to the daughter of her first ever coach.
"I feel, after the first set, I let myself down," said the Russian.
"She was serving quite well, I feel like I had some opportunities, but I didn't take my chances.
"I was watching her other games and I knew she was in good shape, she has really had a good week here.
"We started playing together when we were young because her mum was my first coach, the hard work she has been putting in is finally paying off."
This was only the fourth time in the event's 28-year history as a WTA tour event none of the top six seeds have reached the final.
Dementieva had carved her path to the final with a near-flawless service game and had beaten Serbia's top two starlets - Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic - on route to the final.
With a reputation for letting her fiery temper show on court, Safina was broken three times in the first set and her tennis racquet was the victim as she unleashed her temper in frustration at 4-2 down.
She replaced the racquet and recovered her composure, but she went on to lose the first set 3-6 as Dementieva produced the kind of commanding game that had defending champion Ivanovic beaten in Saturday's semi-final.
But Safina showed the same determined streak which saw her see off Henin and Williams to break her opponent three times, taking the second 6-2 with a stunning ace as she improved her game dramatically.
And she showed no mercy in the third to claim a 6-2 win which moves her up to 14th in the WTA rankings, while Dementieva rises to seventh. - AFP/de
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