top ten of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career on October 2, 2006. Highlights of Safina's 2007 season were singles and doubles titles at the Brisbane International, a finals appearance at the Tier I Family Circle Cup and winning her maiden grand slam doubles title at the US Open with Dechy, after a straight sets win over Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung in the final. Safina enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2008. She compiled a disappointing singles win–loss record of 11–10 to start the season but won her third consecutive doubles title at the Brisbane International with Ágnes Szávay and her first and only Tier I doubles title at the Pacific Life Open with compatriot, Elena Vesnina, during the same period. Safina began her singles recovery by claiming her first Tier I singles title at the Qatar Telecom German Open, defeating World No. 1 Justine Henin, fifth seed Serena Williams, future World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka and seventh seed Elena Dementieva in the final. She later commented that the tournament had been "the key to her tennis life" as she had "felt completely lost before that tournament". At the French Open, Safina defeated World No. 1 Maria Sharapova and seventh seed Elena Dementieva in consecutive rounds after rallying from a set, 5–2 and a match point down in both matches; before overcoming fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets to reach the first Grand Slam singles final of her career, where she lost in straight sets to the second seed, Ana Ivanovic. After a less impressive grass court season, during which she reached her second (and last) career singles final on grass at the Ordina Open, Safina embarked on a fifteen match winning streak, winning singles titles in Los Angeles and Montréal respectively before securing herself the silver medal in women's singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, after a three set loss to Dementieva in the final. As a result of her strong performances in the lead-up to the US Open, Safina finished on top of the 2008 US Open Series leader board. At the final Grand Slam event of the year, Safina advanced to her first US Open semifinal and second major singles semifinal overall after a straight sets victory over 16th seed, Flavia Pennetta. Following the event, Safina entered the top five of the WTA singles rankings for the first time, rising to world