What happened to 2008 Olympic tennis champion Elena Dementieva?

Elena Dementieva was once a big name in the world of tennis – often regarded as one of the best of her generation. But her sudden retirement and privacy around her life today has seen her become a figure of intrigue for tennis fans around the world.

Let’s take a look back at the highs and lows of Dementieva’s career, her controversial retirement and what we know about her life today.

Elena Dementieva was born on October 15, 1981, in Moscow, Russia. She began playing tennis at the tender age of seven, inspired by her mother, Vera Dementieva, who would later coach her once she entered the WTA. 

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

At her junior club, Spartak Tennis Club, she would be coached for three years by Rauza Islanova, the mother of Marat Safin and Dinara Safina – the latter of which would play a pivotal counterpoint to Elena’s career.

Dementieva turned professional in 1998, and it didn’t take long for her to make an impact. By 1999, she reached the fourth round of the US Open, signaling her arrival on the big stage.

In 2000, she had a breakthrough year by reaching the semifinals of the U.S. Open, losing to Lindsay Davenport. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Dementieva took home the silver medal, losing to Venus Williams in the final. She would later be named the WTA Tour's Most Improved Player.

In 2001, she suffered a shoulder injury at the Australian Open and was forced to alter her serve, adding a slice and changing her motion, in order to continue playing. After her shoulder healed, her service motion stayed the same. This would impact the remainder of her career.

In 2004, she reached the final of both the French Open and the U.S. Open. She was disappointingly defeated by compatriots Anastasia Myskina 6–1, 6–2 at Roland Garros and Svetlana Kuznetsova 6–3, 7–5 in New York.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

She would reflect on these Grand Slam losses in a rare interview in 2019, telling Tennis World USA: "I burned out at Roland Garros because I had always dreamed of winning that exact tournament. I was in a good shape but when I went on the court against Svetlana Kuznetsova, I couldn't even breathe, let alone play. I felt so much pressure, I can't even call it "tennis" in that final."

One of the defining moments of her career came at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she won the gold medal in singles, defeating compatriot Dinara Safina 3–6, 7–5, 6–3  in the final. This victory was particularly sweet for Dementieva, as it validated her status as one of the best players of her generation.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Dementieva was known for her relentless baseline game and extraordinary fitness. However, her career was often marred by her inconsistent serve, which many critics – such as senior ESPN writer Shaun Assael – believe prevented her from winning a Grand Slam title. Despite this, she accumulated 16 WTA singles titles and consistently ranked in the top ten, peaking at world number 3 in 2009.

In October 2010, at the age of 29, Dementieva shocked the tennis world by announcing her retirement after her loss at  WTA Championships in Doha. Her decision to retire was influenced by a combination of factors, including a desire to start a family and issues with injury.

"To be honest with you," she told ESPN at the time, "I mean, if I would be a man I would never stop playing. But at the age 29, I have to think about something else. I think I'm ready for a big change in my life."

Post-retirement, Dementieva largely retreated from the public eye, focusing on her personal life. In July 2011, she married Maxim Afinogenov, a professional ice hockey player. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Veronika, in April 2014, and their second child, a son named Sergey, in 2018.

Dementieva's post-tennis life has been centered around her family, and she has embraced her role as a mother wholeheartedly. As well as supporting her family, the former World Number 3 will occasionally make appearances at tennis events and charity functions.

She revealed in 2013 in an interview with the International Tennis Federation YouTube channel that she has studied journalism in her retirement and that while she missed aspects of her days playing tennis at the top level, she still enjoys playing it for fun.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!