KEY POINTS:
There were three safe bets to make about yesterday's ASB Classic final - that it would be won by a Russian, that she would be blonde and that she would be called Elena.
There was a fourth that felt just as secure - that it would be top
seed and world No 4 Elena Dementieva emerging triumphant.
Several factors weighed heavily in leaning towards a Dementieva victory. She has won almost US$11 million ($18.5 million) of prize money in her 10-year career and came into the final with 11 titles under her belt.
She hadn't dropped a set all week and she had gone about her business with rhythm and conviction.
It was also very much in her favour that her opponent had been involved in a three-set, three-hour semifinal epic on Friday and a quarter-final that was just about as long and as tough the day before that. Elena Vesnina was also playing in her first tour final and all that running in the scorching heat in the days before took a toll.
That might explain why the 22-year-old Vesnina came out sparking, almost as if she realised she had to get what she could from the early games before fatigue set in.
It caught Dementieva by surprise, the extra sting coming by Vesnina bumbling her way through the opening game, barely managing a serve return. But the younger Russian took control from there. Her compact backhand produced some fizzing ground strokes, although she would have been no more than content with her serve.
She took the next three games, striking the ball sweetly and with the authority of a seasoned pro. There was no sign of nerves, no sign of her feeling intimidated by Dementieva's higher ranking and absolutely no sign she was feeling the effects of her workload.
At 3-1 up, though, she blew a golden opportunity to make it 4-1.
She had three break points, pushing a fearsome forehand wide on the third when the court was open.
Dementieva regrouped, seemingly aware she had just survived something significant - and closed the gap. She had to dig deep again the following game when Vesnina really should have held her serve but twice made unforced errors to open the door.
With the scores tied at 3-3 and Vesnina starting to make errors in crucial points, a sense of inevitability kicked in. Vesnina had missed her window and, as doubt looked to set in, her opponent started to impose herself.
The world No 4 reduced the number of errors she was making, served more consistently and varied her game better. The ball was zipping off her racquet and her footwork sped up to the extent that Vesnina was crushed by the improvement she was witnessing.
She was 5-3 down in a flash and although she curiously managed to break Dementieva in the ninth - the latter serving two awful double faults - Vesnina couldn't back up and conceded her own serve and the set in a game where she failed to score a point.
And that was it. There was no way Vesnina was going to find the energy to win two sets. If she had gone 4-1 up in the first set as she had threatened and then held on for the first set, there was maybe an outside chance she could cling on and win the match.
But the instant Dementieva boomed down her first serve in the second set, it was obvious where it was all heading.
From there, it was a procession to the trophy presentation. Dementieva was in total control, wearing her opponent down with the consistency and accuracy of her work.
Vesnina, to her credit, battled for everything. She didn't wilt the way she justifiably could have.
She was still chasing everything, still putting the kitchen sink into her service games and was striking the occasional glorious winner.
It was never going to be enough, however. Dementieva always had the answers when she needed them and, under pressure, she found the big shots. She cruised to 5-0 up before Vesnina was finally able to salvage something and win a game - against serve.
No-one ever thought they were about to witness one of the great comebacks, which was just as well, as Dementieva immediately broke back to win the match and collect her 12th tour title.
