The Goddess Elena Dementieva.

Precisando praticar meu inglês, traduzirei meu primeiro post.

Needing to practice my English, I will translate my first post.

Apologies for my poor English.

Those who know me better will not be surprise by the choice of Elena Dementieva for the first post of my blog.

As homage to my goddess, I will republish a text (mix of two) I wrote for the blog “Saque e voleio” in October 2010 when Elena Dementieva retired:

In my childhood-youth there is none personal computers. We didn't even have video equipment. For us to have our imaginations stimulated we had to forcibly (but not for me) resort to books, to movies and TV of late night’s session.

Therefore, our female ideal was restricted into movie stars. My Platonic perception of ideal woman was a mixture of classical beauty of Grace Kelly with the aristocratic elegance of Audrey Hepburn and intellectual ability of Katherine Hepburn.

The reality hits our daydreams with the same monstrous brutality of a Tsunami. And we get used to the "less".

I always have been a fan of Tennis, but mainly played by men. For the women side, I admired Navratilova and Evert, and after their retirement I forgot the WTA until a transmission of Roland Garros , when I saw on the Court, a 22 years young Russian with a beauty that would make Grace Kelly bite herself of envy. That young girl moved across the Court with a feline grace and elegance that resembled Audrey Hepburn. My God. Just was missing the intellectual capacity of Katherine.

Shortly thereafter, after being defeated by Kuznetsova in the final of the USOpen, in her speech of runner-up, she did that perfect speech, citing the massacre of 350 people (185 children) in Russia at the school in Beslan. Showed to everybody, that for her, the world was much more than tennis.

I started reading everything that appeared about this young Russian girl. And so I learned that she was fluent in English and French, and also studied other languages and had an interest in the culture of various countries that she visited on her professional commitments. I was happy to read that her favorite book was not “the little Prince” but a classic of Russian literature. Once asked about what book she was reading, she didn't answered a stupid novel or self-help books, but a French poet, not very famous, so much that I not even remember the name. Her hobby between games, when her brother accompanied to tournaments were playing chess games.

I realized that my female ideal was filled on an unique woman. I did not need any more a mythical figure at the junction of qualities of women so different from each other. My ideal of female was completed in the qualities of an unique woman, a girl, gentle, polite, elegant, attentive, helpful, cultured and beautiful. She have so much of these qualities.

Throughout her time at tennis she declined the image of sex-symbol despite the beauty she is.

At the end of the matches had a shy smile when won and a large smile when lost, and to be honest, this quality was shared with Venus Williams, and often but not always by Sharapova.

The tears of all tennis players present in the homage done to her farewell were more eloquent than words; showed how much she was special and beloved by her opponents.

I repeat the words of Kim Clijsters: "Elena brought elegance, goodness, discipline and a nice tennis to the circuit. I will miss in having it around because there are not many like her ".

A video tribute to Elena was made by WTA with testimonials from several players. Something that seen in testimonials is that Elena was not friend of most of them, kept a certain distance, but by example that it was her behavior inside and outside the court certainly touched the heart of tennis players.

That impresses me even more because they were not friends who did the testimonials, but her opponents.

As said above, the cry of all opponents in the farewell on the Court said more than words. As an example, on the retirement of champion Amelie Mauresmo, had not the cry out, and the most exciting farewell speech was made by Dementieva.

In my opinion, the most revealing statement of the significance of Dementieva in the circuit was from her rival, Serena Williams, who rarely (I had never seen, except for praise her sister) speaks well of her opponents.

Serena posted on his official website: "Elena you will be missed. The matches we competed in were always so intense. You helped make me better both on and off the court ...All the best to you Love, and to all your endeavors. "

Is a shame, just by the fact of Elena Dementieva be so special, awakes in some women an unhealthy envious.

Elena is the incarnation of the mythological figure Helen of Troy.

Helen of Troy was a mortal woman whose beauty caused the ire of jealous Olympian Goddesses. Now Elena is a Goddess whose beauty and character arouse the ire of some jealous people. Few, as it might be perceived by the commotion that caused her retirement.

Elena brought me to realize that I do not need me settle for "less", or create mythic figures to fill dreams of perfect woman.

There is no perfection; Elena had no sports champion mentality despite having a talent to be. When she reached the top20 for the first time, remained of 525 of 529 weeks belonging to this elite. Played in 10 WTA Championships in 11 years, an achievement that very few players was capable to do. But don't hit the top that her talent could allow.

About perfection, Elena said: "You don't have to be perfect, but you should try hard, and I tried, always".

Possibly she doesn't know, but no one was closer to perfection more than her.

Did not won a Grand Slam? As said on Twitter by Michel Dazmarelli, "sorry the Grand Slam". 

She won two Olympic medals for her country, gold and silver. Many millions of Russians do not know what a Grand Slam is, but everyone knows what an Olympic medal is and what it means to the sport.

She retired without winning a Grand Slam tournament, but won my admiration in a way that no other athlete has achieved or will.

Retired as Olympic champion.

Retired as My champion.

Always missing her.

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