Dementieva rallies to avoid more Russian mishap

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian fifth seed Elena Dementieva avoided following compatriot Maria Sharapova out of Wimbledon on Thursday after battling past Swiss teenager Timea Bacsinszky 4-6 6-3 6-3 in a second round tie.

The 26-year-old Dementieva, with nine career titles to her name but still looking for a grand slam breakthrough, appeared in trouble when the 19-year-old Bacsinszky led 3-0 in the deciding set.

But Dementieva, a quarter-finalist in 2006, lifted her game against the world ranked 71 to avert another shock after Sharapova's loss to Alla Kudryavtseva earlier in the day.

Dementieva now takes on Argentine Gisela Dulko.

(Reporting by Justin Palmer, editing by Clare Lovell)