Elena Dementieva double-faulted (it was her seventh of the match) to end her disappointing encounter with Kim Clijsters. One of the true mysteries of the universe is how Dementieva has earned her lofty place in the game with a serve that might drive some 3.5 league players to quit the game in frustration. It’s hard enough for Elena to win while saddled with that serve—imagine an NBA player making the All-Star team without having a jump shot (okay, there’s Dennis Rodman)—but the really brutal part comes in the press conferences.
Here’s a typical exchange, which took place after her loss to Clijsters:
At this point, I couldn’t help but crack up and throw in a question of my own. “Elena”, I said, “It’s hard to get away from the double-fault issue it seems. Does it bother you that people always bring it up and want to talk about it?
Her answer: No. End of Dementieva press conference. End of Dementieva’s tournament. Next week, it will start all over for her.