Dementieva Moves Past Harkleroad

Converting on six of eight break point opportunities and playing solidly from the baseline, fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva wasted little time and eliminated American Ashley Harkleroad, 6-2, 6-2, in a second-round Acura Classic match.

Playing the first match on Stadium Court, Dementieva dictated play from the baseline in winning the match in one-hour and 15 minutes.
Dementieva, who reached the 2004 US Open final, overcame four double faults and two service breaks to win the set as Harkleroad failed to hold serve.

In the first game of the second set, the Russian again had trouble serving as she committed four more double faults. She managed to fend off three break points and hold serve after an 18-point game.
In the next game, Harkleroad held serve for the first time in the match to tie the score at 1-1. Later with Dementieva serving at 2-2, Harkleroad got the score to deuce. However, the Russian fired two straight aces to get out of trouble and increase her lead to 3-2.
Harkleroad lost serve again and Dementieva easily held serve at love to make the score 5-3.
Serving to stay in the match, Harkleroad took a 30-15 lead but then made two backhand errors to give Dementieva her first match point of the day.
The match ended on the next point at Harkleroad’s forehand landed in the net.

• This was the first head-to-head meeting between the two players.
• Dementieva will play the winner of the Sania Mirza / Katarina Srebotnik match in the third round.
• Dementieva is ranked sixth in the world.
• Dementieva improves her 2006 match record to 32-12.
• Dementieva is making her seventh consecutive Acura Classic appearance. She reached the semifinals in 2004.
• Harkleroad was making her third career Acura Classic appearance.
• Harkleroad is ranked 93 in the world.
• In 2003, Harkleroad reached the third round of the main draw at Roland Garros as well as girl’s singles final.

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