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Russian sweep: Safina, Dementieva and bronze medallist Vera Zvonareva
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Elena Dementieva ended her fellow Russian Dinara Safina's 15-match winning streak to claim the Olympic women's singles title.
Despite being hauled back from a break up early in the final set, Dementieva recovered her poise to break Safina again then serve out solidly to take the gold medal 3-6 7-5 6-3.
Her win gave Dementieva a second Olympic medal after her silver in Sydney in 2000.
Safina had won all three of the pair's previous meetings this year and looked on course for her third consecutive title when she breezed through the first set, but fell behind in the second and despite fighting back well, lost the set by netting a backhand.
Dementieva was always on top in the decider but just when it looked like her notoriously flaky nerves would let her down again she rallied, breaking in a marathon game for 5-3, then winning the tie with a clubbing two-handed backhand down the line.
Doubles
In the doubles final, Venus and Serena Williams beat Spanish duo Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2 6-0.
The American sisters, seeded second, shrieked with joy when Ruano Pascual sent the championship point long, jumping and hugging one another in typically exuberant fashion.
The win improves the sisters' Olympic record to 10-0 and gives them their second gold medal. They won the doubles event at the Sydney Games but did not play in Athens four years ago because Serena was injured.
