Q. Can you compare reaching an Olympic final to reaching a Grand Slam final?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Oh, I think it's a completely different feeling, you know. I feel absolutely happy today. So exciting about my final tomorrow, you know.
I think, you know, playing for your country means a lot to me. Just very proud to represent Russia and playing tomorrow a Russian final here in Beijing. This is a big, huge moment in my career.

Q. Can you look ahead to playing Dinara in the final.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, it's going to be a tough match, you know. But I'm happy that silver and gold goes to Russia, for sure. This is a great thing about it. For sure I want to win tomorrow.
I think she is, for the moment, the hottest player on the tour, winning everything. She has such a huge streak for the moment. It's going to be a tough match. We played three times this year, and I lost all of them. So it's going to be quite a challenge for me.


Q. You were in the final in Sydney. What is the difference? At that time the Russian team were winning a lot of medals and tennis was not doing so well. Now it's the opposite. How do you explain it?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: It's just amazing feeling. You know, I remember playing my first Olympic Games in Sydney. I was 18 years old. I came there. Nobody expected anything from me. Nobody really expected any medals from tennis for the moment. We were so happy to have Yevgeny Kafelnikov winning gold and me silver. It was really an exciting surprise for Russia.
But coming here to Beijing, it was a lot of expectation, you know, for our team. From the beginning, I think we were planning to get two medals. But right now it just seems unbelievable to get silver and gold. We have a chance to get all three of them. So it's huge for Russia.

Q. What do you think an all-Russian final means to Russian tennis?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think for a long time we were dominating on the tour, winning a lot of Grand Slams, playing a lot of Russian finals in the big events. You know, I think we were working really hard in the last few years. I think it just pay off right now.
Well, if talking about Dinara winning two tournaments in a row, playing in the final here. Myself, I think I had pretty good results this year. So I think we deserve to be in the final. But it's still a huge surprise for Russia and a big moment for both of us.

Q. I don't want to remind you of bad moments, but you played two finals in two slams and lost them. You played one final in the Olympics and lost. Why do you think that happened? Sometimes you were favored, at least when you played Myskina.
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, it was not a bad moment. It was a good experience for me, you know, being in the finals in the Olympics, and the Grand Slam, as well.
Well, I'm sure I had some chances against Anastasia. Maybe I was the favorite for the match. But against Svetlana, she was dominating at that time; it was tough to play against her. I don't have any problems playing against Russian. I think they're all playing really good. They're all in the top 10. They're all very competitive. So it's never easy to play against them.
Right now I just want to be focused on my game, what I want to do tomorrow. I want to really play well and enjoy my final.

Q. You say you lost three times to Safina. But once in Paris...
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I was close, I know.

Q. But close is not enough. 5-2, how many match points?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I had a few match points. We were playing on clay. It was a different, you know, surface. Well, I think I lost an opportunity. I had a huge opportunity to finish the match and go to the semifinals. But, I mean, it took me some time, but I just moved on from that match and I took my lesson.
So we'll see if this experience will help me tomorrow.

Q. You're fit, a hundred percent?
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: I'm okay. I'm good.


(via ASAP Sports, photo/BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images)

Elena Dementieva - Beijing 16. August Interview