BERLIN: Dinara Safina battled back from a set down to beat Elena Dementieva in an all-Russian final at the German Open yesterday.

The 22-year-old Dinara 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.

Dinara's sixth WTA tour title was one that most observers here feel she deserved, having beat World No 1 Justine Henin and ended Serena Williams' 17-match unbeaten run on the way to the final.

With her brother Marat Safin also winning his qualifier at the Hamburg Masters Series yesterday, 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, Dinara said she will treat her mother to whatever she wants to buy from the shops of Berlin as it was Mother's Day in Germany.

Elena 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, Dinara 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.

But Dinara showed the same determined streak which saw her see off Justine and Serena to break her opponent three times, taking the second 6-2.

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 Elena rises to seventh. -- AFP