UPDATE 2-Tennis-Safina fights back to win German Open

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By Iain Rogers

BERLIN, May 11 (Reuters) - Dinara Safina of Russia fought back from a set down for the third time in the tournament to win the German Open on Sunday with a 3-6 6-2 6-2 victory over seventh-seeded compatriot Elena Dementieva.

The 22-year-old Safina came from behind to beat world number one Justine Henin and eight-times grand slam winner Serena Williams en route to the final, where she captured her sixth career singles title.

The 13th seed was far too erratic in the first set but came back strongly in the second with some lusty hitting and won it with an ace down the middle.

She then broke twice in the deciding set and sealed victory when Dementieva netted a backhand return on the first match point after just over two hours of play on the clay at the Steffi Graf stadium.

Safina said the key to her victory was the number of drop-shot winners she nailed.

"I think I hit like 20 of them and I won maybe 18," she told a news conference.

"This week I played them so good, starting in the match with Justine. Then every match I was more and more confident."