Elena Dementieva is Again a Champion

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With a convincing victory over compatriot M6W Nadia Petrova, Elena Dementieva has earned her return to Ozeki (=Champion) level, a rank she conquered for the first time in 2004.*

Dementieva holds the doubtful honor of being one of the most succesful female open-era Ozeki to never have won a Grand Slam title (together with Helena Sukova, Rosie Casals, Mary Joe Fernandez and Andrea Jaeger). This tournament may provide an excellent opportunity to change this: the only sanyaku (=championship)-ranked player other than Dementieva left is Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Serena Williams, but clay is not Serena's strongest surface. The other Yokozuna, Justine Henin and Venus Williams, have already exited, as has ex-Ozeki Dinara Safina, who seems at risk of going the path of Ana Ivanovic; i.e., rapid decline after making it to world number 1 (and Ozeki).

Safina will be Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) at Wimbledon and share the rank with Petrova--the first time Petrova will hold sanyaku rank since 2006, when she was Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I)--and semifinalist M5W Francesca Schiavone. Unless Schiavone also gets by Dementieva, that is, in which case she will be Sekiwake, sharing the rank with ex-Ozeki Kim Clijsters (who is out injured) and Schiavone's quarterfinal victim Caroline Wozniacki. In any case, Schiavone will give her debut as a sanyaku ranked player at nearly 30 years of age.

In the mens' tournament, K1E Robin Soderling finally got Roger Federer's number, taking revenge not only for last year's loss in the French Open final but also 11 other career defeats by the hands of the Dai-Yokozuna. Soderling also ended Federer's incredible series of 23 (!!) consecutive semifinal participation at grand slams. One reward will a re-promotion to Sekiwake. M4E Tomas Berdych secured a first-time Komusubi promotion by overcoming ex-Komusubi M2E Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets, proving that his 4th round win over Sekiwake Andy Murray--that destroyed another chance for Murray to obtain an Ozeki promotion--was no fluke. It is Komusubi instead for Andy Murray after the French Open, as is for fellow Sekiwake Andy Roddick and Marin Cilic.

In the other half of the field, Yokozuna Rafael Nadal and long-time Ozeki Novak Djokovic are one match away from a semi-final encounter. In their ways stand M6E Nicolas Alamagro and M7W Juergen Melzer, respectively.


* Dementieva was Ozeki following her semifinal participation at Wimbledon 2009 (where she lost a nailbiter to Serena Williams), but then dropped to Sekiwake after crashing out early at both the 2009 US Open and the 2010 Australian Open. Reaching the semifinal at Roland Garros ensures immediate re-promotion to Ozeki.