Williams sisters interrupt Russian tennis domination

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BEIJING -- The Williams sisters salvaged a bit of United States prestige here Sunday in the women’s tennis event of the Beijing Olympics.

The three singles medals went to Russians. Elena Dementieva beat Dinara Safina in the gold medal match and Vera Zvonareva took the bronze with a victory over China’s Li Na.

But the doubles gold went to Venus and Serena Williams, in a surprisingly quick 1 hour 5 minute shellacking of Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual. The score was 6-2, 6-0, and the most entertaining thing about the match was the singing and dancing Spanish fans, who did their best to inspire their compatriots.

China got the bronze in doubles, Yan Zi and Zheng Jie defeating the Bondarenko sisters of Ukraine, Alona and Kateryna, 6-2, 6-2.

Dementieva, who settled for a silver medal in Sydney after losing in the final to Venus Williams, started slowly against the temperamental Safina but held her poise and won, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

-- Bill Dwyre