AP News, May 1st, 2007
With snowflakes falling on the red clay, Elena Dementieva beat Meilen Tu 6-7 (5), 6-0, 7-5 Tuesday in a first-round match at the J&S Cup in which both players wore pants and long-sleeve shirts.
The players also had to contend with wind on a 48-degree day.
"They were extremely difficult conditions," Dementieva said. "It was freezing out there and also the snow. It was a new experience in my life. It was a very tough match for me."
Dementieva, seeded seventh, pulled out in the second round of Antwerp, Belgium, in February because of rib stress fractures. She resumed training only two weeks ago.
"I always have some problems with my serve," the Russian said. "But coming back after three broken ribs and not playing for eight weeks, it's really difficult. It takes some time to get everything back."
Dementieva and her American opponent struggled to hold serve throughout the match. The first set alone had 10 breaks, the last by Tu to force the tiebreaker.
Also Tuesday, Elena Vesnina beat Urszula Radwanska 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Agnieszka Radwanska downed Tsvetana Pironkova 7-5, 6-1; Julia Vakulenko defeated Elena Likhovtseva 6-4, 6-1; Kateryna Bondarenko beat Tamira Paszek Austria 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1; Tathiana Garbin beat Laura Granville 6-4, 6-2; and Anna-Lena Groenefeld got past Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 6-4.
Venus Williams' match with Michaella Krajicek was pushed back until Wednesday due to darkness.
