World No.9 Elena Dementieva has announced her surprise retirement from tennis while still near the top of the game, a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Francesca Schiavone at the WTA Championships counting as the last of the consistent Russian's 847 matches over 13 seasons.The Beijing Olympic gold medallist and two-time grand slam finalist revealed her decision at an emotional on-court presentation attended by her peers, having qualified for the championships for the 10th time in 11 years. Dementieva, 29, won 16 career titles, including two — the Sydney International and Paris Indoors — in 2010, and was runner-up at both the French and US Opens in 2004.
She reached a career-high No.3 in singles in April, 2009 and was also
a top-five player in doubles. Her serve was often a liability, but her groundstrokes and athleticism among the best in the game over a sustained period."This year is very special for me becuase this is my last tournament," Dementieva told the crowd at the Khalifa Tennis Complex, as the likes of Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka shed tears near the net. She paid tribute to her mother Vera, who has also been her coach and constant companion, while compatriot Vera Zvonareva paid tribute to Dementieva's contribution to the game.
Her 576th and last match win was against Australian Sam Stosur on Thursday night
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