Russians set up final duel

TENNIS/US Open Championships: Elena Dementieva made it an all-Russian women's singles at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York when she survived a pulsating third-set battle of nerves with American Jennifer Capriati.

With both women continually failing to hold their serve, the tension mounted in the last set.

With both women continually failing to hold their serve, the tension mounted in the deciding set. With the scores at 6-6, the match went into a tie-break and the Russian eventually won 7-5 to earn a place in the final, and continue the dominance of Russian tennis in this year's Grand Slams.

Dementieva's fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova earlier stunned an injury-hit Lindsay Davenport 1-6 6-2 6-4 a to reach her first Grand Slam final and end the American's hopes of regaining the world number one ranking.

The ninth seed began nervously as former champion Davenport romped through the first set but Kuznetsova, who had not lost a set in reaching the last four, lifted her game to level the match.

Fifth seed Davenport had an injury time-out at the start of the deciding set on a left hip injury she suffered in practice before the match, but bounced back to lead 3-0 only for the 19-year-old Kuznetsova to level at 3-3.

A huge backhand in the ninth game gave Kuznetsova the vital break and she held her nerve for victory.

"I don't really believe it," Kuznetsova said. "Lindsay played so well in the first set and I was just trying to hang in there. I will be ready for tomorrow night."

The ninth seed is the first Russian woman to ever reach the US Open final and the third different Russian to reach a grand slam final this year.

Anastasia Myskina beat Dementieva to win the French Open while Maria Sharapova triumphed at Wimbledon.

Davenport's defeat means Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo will be the new world number one when the rankings are released on Monday, replacing Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne at the top.

Davenport was disappointed but not downhearted and the 28-year-old American said that she would not be making hasty decisions about her future.

"I'm just going to see how I feel in the next few weeks and how my body feels and mentally how I feel and what my motivation is," she said.

"It's really (too) soon to say (if I'll return to the US Open). Twelve months is really far.

"It's been a wonderful last few months, and I've enjoyed competing very well. Something like this happens to everybody in all sports and I've overcome many injuries, so this isn't going to be like the nail in the coffin. I don't need surgery and I don't have to be out for months and months.

"I was excited to play this summer and play here. I thought I had a great opportunity. If I feel like I have a great opportunity and can challenge for the title in Australia, I'll go. If I feel like, 'okay, maybe not totally into it,' it's going to be tough."

Having struggled with injuries since her last appearance in a grand slam final, at the 2000 US Open when she lost to Venus Williams, Davenport reached the Wimbledon semi-finals before embarking on a 17-match winning streak to take titles in Stanford, Los Angeles, San Diego and Cincinnati.

"I'm fine with losing, it's not the losing part," Davenport said. "I just wish that I had lost because, you know, I was terrible or I didn't play well and she played great.

"I'm just disappointed that I didn't get the opportunity to either win or lose at 100 per cent. I was thinking, 'well, maybe it's going to keep going well.' But eventually, my body just didn't handle it."

Davenport admitted that her improved form made it tough to consider retirement.

"I feel a lot better about myself this year than I did last year at this time when I felt like I was, you know, barely hanging on, lucky to get to the semis. Now I feel like I could have won here. It's a lot different.

"It would be tough to walk away knowing that, 'Oh, I still could have won a slam' or, 'I was still at the top. I was ranked two, three or whatever.' That probably makes it a little bit more challenging of a decision."

MEN'S DOUBLES FINAL: (3) Mark Knowles (Bah) and Daniel Nestor (Can) bt (13) Leander Paes (Ind) and David Rikl (Cze) 6-3 6-3.

MEN'S SINGLES: quarter-finals: (4) Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) bt Tommy Haas (Ger) 6-2 6-2 6-2, (28) Joachim Johansson (Swe) bt (2) Andy Roddick (USA) 6-4 6-4 3-6 2-6 6-4.

WOMEN'S SINGLES: Semi-final: (9) Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt (5) Lindsay Davenport (USA) 1-6 6-2 6-4.