(CNN) -- World No. 1 Serena Williams' preparations for her Australian Open title defense suffered a late blip when she was beaten in the final of the Sydney International by Elena Dementieva on Friday. 

The American, who had struggled past unseeded Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai in three sets in the semifinals when she appeared to injure her left leg, lost 6-3 6-2 to suffer her fifth defeat in her last eight clashes with the Russian. 

"I was struggling a little bit, but she definitely deserves all the credit," Williams told reporters. "It's definitely not ligament problems. It's just a little pain but the strapping usually helps the pain go away." 

Dementieva, who beat world No. 2 Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals, successfully defended her title in the final event before the first Grand Slam tournament of this decade starts on Monday. 

"It's great to play against the best players in the world, especially going into a Grand Slam. It was a great experience and it'll help me next week at the Australian Open," she told the WTA Tour's official Web site 

Dementieva went into the match against Williams having been handed a potential second-round clash with former world No. 1 Justine Henin, who pulled out of the Sydney event as a precaution after suffering a leg injury in her comeback tournament in Brisbane. 

Seven-time Grand Slam winner Henin, handed a wildcard after a 20-month retirement, will start against unseeded fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens on Monday while fifth seed Dementieva plays fellow Russian Vera Dushevina . 
When was it?
Dementieva on Friday. 