seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia has scored a surprisingly comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over top-seeded Serena Williams in the Sydney International final. Serena's loss Friday comes just three days before the start of the Australian Open, where the American is the defending women's singles champion. Serena, who had 40 unforced errors in 17 games against the 2008 Olympics champion, appeared to sustain a knee injury during the match. But she would not elaborate on the injury when asked during the presenation ceremony. “I think she played well, I made about a thousand and two unforced errors ... it's better now than later, I guess,” Serena said. When asked about her left leg or knee, which she appeared to favor during the match, she replied: “I was struggling a little bit, but, you know, I hate to make any excuse. I think she definitely deserves all the credit for what she did.” She was asked if it was ligament damage or a strain. “Definitely not ligament problems ... definitely not,” Serena said. “Doesn't sound like very much fun. I don't quite know. Just a little pain here, and the strapping usually helps the pain go away sometimes.” She said she felt great going into next week's Australian Open. “I feel like I have more than enough matches under my belt,” she said. “I feel like I'm really ready and fit.” Earlier, former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis beat American Mardy Fish 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5) in a men's semifinal. Baghdatis' opponent in the final will be Richard Gasquet, who beat French compatriot Julien Benneteau in the other semifinal 6-3, 7-5. Dementieva reversed her straight-sets loss to Williams at the 2009 season-ending championships to claim back-to-back titles in Sydney. The 28-year-old Dementieva is the first woman to defend her crown in Sydney since Martina Hingis in 2001-2002. Peer-Bondarenko final In Hobart, second-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel advanced to the final of the Hobart International with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Sara Errani of Italy Friday. Peer will play fourth-seeded Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, who beat top-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a later semifinal. Peer showed little sign of fatigue despite completing a three-set quarterfinal win over Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain late Thursday night. “I did not get much sleep,” Peer said, adding that she told her mother that “today's match was going to be a test of character but great players have to step up to these sorts of challenges.” Tsonga beats Haas In Melbourne, former Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Tommy Haas of Germany 6-4, 6-3 Friday in a warmup for the Kooyong final against Fernando Verdasco. “My game is improving match after match, I'm playing better and better every day and I think I will be ready,” Tsonga said after his second win at the exhibition tournament, a tuneup event for next week's Australian Open. “Physically I feel good and I'm very confident.” Tsonga had been due to meet US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the semifinals of the eight-man competition, but del Potro pulled out with a wrist injury. Del Potro's agent said the withdrawal was precautionary and not expected to keep him out of the Australian Open. Earlier on the third day of the Kooyong round-robin, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez beat Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 7
