Medal hat-trick for Russia as Dementieva takes gold

Elena Dementieva has beaten compatriot Dinara Safina to claim Olympic gold – and a Russian clean sweep of the medals in the women’s tennis singles.

It was a keenly-contested final with Safina taking the first set and looking good for glory.

But Dementieva showed resolve to storm back and clinch overall victory 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The triumph was Russia’s sixth gold from Beijing so far, putting them eighth in the medals table.

It is the second time on the Olympic podium for Dementieva after she won silver eight years ago in Sidney.

Vera Zvonareva won bronze, and ensured that Russia took all three medals, by comfortably beating China’s Na Li 6-0, 7-5.