Tokyo: Still on a high a month on from Beijing, Russia's Elena Dementieva says she would not trade her Olympic gold medal for a rush of Grand Slam titles.
"That was the happiest moment in my life for sure," she said on Tuesday.
"Not just in my career but in my life. There is nothing bigger than the Olympic Games."
Dementieva fulfilled the goal she set herself at the beginning of the year when she beat fellow Russian Dinara Safina 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the Beijing final.
"It was a very special moment," said Dementieva before this week's Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
"I was dreaming about it since I played my in the 2000 final in Sydney. I'll never forget it."
Dementieva, who lost to Venus Williams to finish with a silver medal eight years ago, has yet to win a Grand Slam singles title.
"Winning in Beijing was my biggest goal this year," said Dementieva, a beaten finalist at the 2004 French Open and US Open.
"I wasn't sure I was even going to be there because Russia has so many players in the top 10. I worked so hard this year to make it to the Olympics."
Big surprise
"When it came it was still a big surprise. It's not only because the Olympics are once every four years. You just can't compare it to any tournament. For sure Grand Slams are big but when you represent your country in the Olympic Games it's so special. There is nothing bigger than that."
Dementieva is one of six top-10 players appearing at the $1.34 million Pan Pacific Open and still has hopes of improving on her current world ranking of four.
"I've got to try to move on from Beijing," said the 26-year-old Muscovite, beaten in the semi-finals of the US Open earlier this month by Serbia's Jelena Jankovic.
"The season is not over yet. I'm trying to stay focused and finish the year on a positive note."
Dementieva, Tokyo winner in 2006, is currently fifth in the year-long WTA Tour championship race and closing on a spot in the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha.
"The No. 1 ranking is quite open for a lot of players," said Dementieva.
"We're going to see a lot of nerves and emotion at the end of the year."
Despite her patriotism, Dementieva insisted being ranked ahead of fellow Russian Safina and Maria Sharapova was not what drove her.
"We have a healthy competition," she smiled. "Everyone wants to be the best one. But it was never my goal to be No.1 in my country -- I want to be No. 1 in the world."
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