Elena Dementieva was left to reflect on her "best match in a long time" after she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Barclays Dubai Championships on Saturday.

The eighth-seeded Russian had to overcame a slow start to claim a 4-6 6-3 6-2 win over her compatriot and lift a ninth career title.

"I think I was playing wrong tactically in the first set," Dementieva said.

"I was hitting the ball too short. I realised I had to move her around more and not just stay back and hit cross-court, and I had to step in more and go for my forehand winners.

"I became more aggressive and it worked. It was a great match and I was playing really well, probably my best match in a long time."

The win was the third consecutive match that the world number 11 had to rally from a set down in, having done the same in Friday's 5-7 7-5 6-2 semi-final triumph over Francesca Schiavone and Thursday's 5-7 6-3 6-3 victory over Ana Ivanovic.

"The whole week I had such a bad draw - this tournament is really popular and so everyone had it like that - but I'm just happy I was able to play my best at the end of the week," Dementieva said.

"In the past I was playing Paris and Antwerp and so I didn't make it here, but I heard so many good things about it from the other players and I came this year. And I have no regrets."

Kuznetsova had won five of the eight previous meetings with Dementieva, including their previous three matches, and has now lost her past three finals.

"I'm very disappointed - I had all sorts of chances but I just couldn't take them," Kuznetsova said.

"At the start of the match we were pretty even, but as the match went on my level kept dropping lower and lower.

"I began to try going for winners too early in the points and that just didn't work against her."