Dementieva Beats Sharapova, Wins Toronto

In a battle of the top blonde Russian screamers, it was the blonder, louder, and more Russian player who prevailed.

With fiance Maxim Afinogenov ecstatic in the stands, Elena Dementieva defeated Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3 to win the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

While neither was especially consistent, both came up with some huge groundstrokes off both wings.  Dementieva's speed (a great example of which can be seen here) wound up being the difference over Sharapova's sometimes bovine agility, with the WTA #4 more often able to send enough balls back to draw the eventual error.

The win also secured Dementieva a spot at or near the top of the final US Open Series standings.  Dementieva will win the promotion (and double her prize money at the US Open).

And it should be a good deal of prize money, at that.  With her win Dementieva secures the #4 seed at the US Open, and the assurance that she will not run into a Williams sister before the semifinal.   The only player outside of those two who I believe can threaten Dementieva is Jelena Jankovic, who Dementieva bounced from the top four.  But the odds are Jankovic won't wind up in Dementieva's quarter, anyhow.

Sharapova also improved her US Open seeding by making the final, moving into the top thirty and assuring that she will be seeded in Flushing Meadows.  The seeding could wind up being a curse, however, as she is now going to be slated to face a top eight seed in the third round.  Let's hope it's Vera Zvonareva.