Defending Champ Dementieva retired with hip injury

By Etienne Stekelenburg
April 8 2004

Bausch & Lomb Championships defending champion Elena Dementieva of Russia was forced to retire in her match against Croatian Jelena Kostanic. Dementieva who won her first WTA title at Amelia Island last year said she is really disappointed because the tournament became very special to her.

Dementieva had to withdraw after losing the first set in a tiebreak and the first service game in the second set. She said she did feel something wrong with her hip during last weeks long tournament in Miami where she reached the final. Unfortunately the injury got worse during her match against Kostanic and she had to give up with a right hip strain.

Mary Pierce was ousted in 64 minutes. She didn’t have a chance against the No. 2 seed Serena Williams who is working on her comeback after injuries. Williams said she was hoping for a comeback with winning a few matches or not come back at all until she got her game back. She ended Pierce’s Amelia Island adventure 6-3 6-1.

Amelie Mauresmo of France defeats Japanese Akiko Morigami 6-0 6-1

Ai Sugiyama of Japan defeats Colombian Catalina Castano 7-5 6-4

Russia’s Nadia Petrova defeats Milagros Sequera of Venezuela 6-1 6-0

Croatian Karolina Sprem defeats Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva 6-2 6-4

Silvia Farina Elia of Italy defeats Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-1 6-1