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Dementieva an early winner at Dubai

Elena Dementieva of Russia waves after winning the Kremlin Cup final tennis match against Serena Williams of the U.S. in Moscow on October 14, 2007. (UPI Photo/Sergey Shakhidzanyan).
1 of 2 | Elena Dementieva of Russia waves after winning the Kremlin Cup final tennis match against Serena Williams of the U.S. in Moscow on October 14, 2007. (UPI Photo/Sergey Shakhidzanyan). | License Photo

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- No. 8-seeded Elena Dementieva raced to a straight-set victory Monday in the first round of the $1.5 million Dubai Tennis Championships.

Dementieva was able to get by Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-0 and set up a second-round match with Alona Bondarenko. Bondarenko was a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 winner over Maria Kirilenko in her first-round match of the hard-court tournament.

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Also Monday, Dinara Safina swept by Selima Sfar 6-1, 6-3.

The field for the Dubai Tennis Championships features seven of the top 10 women's players in the world, including No. 1 Justine Henin and fifth-seeded Maria Sharapova, who is 14-0 this year after collecting a championship Sunday in Qatar.

Henin is a two-time defending champion of the tournament.

The 2008 Dubai champion will earn $250,000.

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