Elena Dementieva defeated Serena Williams en route to the 2008 Olympic gold medal.
Former world No. 3 Dementieva says Serena remains a must-see champion for two reasons:
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*The 23-time Grand Slam champion is a unique stylist.
*The 38-year-old Williams inspires fans and fellow players with her success at an age when many rivals have long since retired.
"They say, when Serena Williams leaves, I’m tired of watching her," Dementieva told FormulaTX.com. "I personally didn’t get tired: no matter how much I played with her, how many matches I watched, it’s interesting for me to watch and realize that there is no limit for human capabilities.
"You understand that [Serena] is outstanding and there are no people like her, and probably won’t be any."
Dementieva rallied past Williams then defeated compatriots Vera Zvonareva and Dinara Safina in succession to win the 2008 Olympic gold medal.
A year later, Williams gained revenge with an epic 8-6-in-the-third-set Wimbledon semifinal win.
Overall, Williams held a 7-5 career edge over Dementieva.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve