Elena Dementieva injured and in Wimbledon doubt
After retiring injured from the French Open semi-finals, Elena Dementieva has cast doubt on whether she’ll be fit to play at Wimbledon this year.
Dementieva conceded her Roland Garros semi-final against Francesca Schiavone after the Russian lost the first set in a tiebreak, surprising everyone who had to that point been witnessing an intriguing tussle between the two.
“I just have a tear in my left calf, so it's very painful to even walk,” Dementieva said after the match. “I got it after my second match, so I just, you know, aggravate it during these matches. Today was just a sharp pain. It was a bit too much. Couldn't really move on the court.”
The world No. 5 went on to tell reporters that she will not be playing at Eastbourne (which begins on June 14th) as a result of the injury and that, “I'm not sure if I will be able to play Wimbledon”.
Dementieva came within a point of reaching the final at Wimbledon in 2009, when she held match point against Serena Williams in the 10th game of a third set that was eventually decided 8-6 in the American’s favour.
It was the fifth time the 28-year-old had reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam since she was runner-up at both the French Open and the US Open in 2004, but the closest Dementieva had come to reaching the final at a major since that time.
The 2008 Olympic gold medallist may well be one of the greatest players currently on the women’s tour without a Grand Slam title to her name. With injury affecting the end of her French Open campaign and at the very least her preparation for Wimbledon, if not her participation in the grass court major, that may not be about to change any time soon.
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