Elena Dementieva is eager to get back into action at the Bank of the West Classic after missing Wimbledon due to a calf injury.
Second seed hopes to impress at Bank of the West Classic
Elena Dementieva is eager to get back in action at the Bank of the West Classic after missing Wimbledon due to a calf injury.
The world number six has not played on the WTA Tour since being forced to retire from her semi-final with Francesca Schiavone at the French Open.
But she will make a comeback in Stanford, where she is seeded second and has a second-round contest with Kimiko Date Krumm lined up.
The Russian, who received a bye in the opening round, is looking to bounce back from the disappointment of being unable to play at Wimbledon.
Frustration
"I didn't watch because I was too disappointed I wasn't there. I didn't want to know who won," Dementieva said.
The Olympic champion, who had played in every grand slam since 1999, insists that she has not lost her competitive edge.
Dementieva added: "It's never easy to lose. I love to play and win and it's always disappointing to lose. Maybe I'm taking a little easier now, but it doesn't mean that I don't care."
Despite the injury scuppering her Wimbledon hopes, the 28-year-old concedes that the break will serve her well in the run-up to the US Open, where she reached the final in 2004.
"It was a good time to get a break and get ready for hard court season. In the end, I really needed some time off to get hungry for the competition," she said.
