New York, Sept 13:
Flavia Pennetta won her first Grand Slam singles title, defeating Italian compatriot Roberta Vinci 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 in the US Open women’s final, then promptly retired.
Pennetta became, at 33, the oldest first-time Grand Slam women’s champion in the Open era with the 93-minute triumph.
“It’s a dream come true,” Pennetta said.
But only moments after accepting the trophy, she said she had decided to retire after her ultimate victory.
“This is the way I would like to say goodbye to tennis,” Pennetta said. “I’m really happy.”
The only other Italian woman to win a major singles title was Francesca Schiavone, who captured the 2010 French Open and set the former oldest first-timer age mark at 29.
“I’m really happy right now,” said Pennetta, a 150-1 longshot to win the title when the Flushing Meadows fortnight began.
“Before this tournament I never think to be so far. I never think to be a champion. When things come like this it’s a big surprise to me.”
Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi was among 23,771 in Arthur Ashe Stadium watching the first all-Italian women’s Grand Slam final of the Open Era.
Pennetta took the top prize of $3.3 million (2.9 million euros), while runner-up Vinci received $1.6 million.
Pennetta previously had won only $712,401 this year while Vinci’s 2015 prize money before Sunday was $422,158.
The breakthrough win came in Pennetta’s 49th Grand Slam appearance, the most needed for any women’s major champion, two more than France’s Marion Bartoli when she won at Wimbledon in 2013.
“Always when I was younger I was thinking to be number one,” Pennetta said. “I was also thinking to win Rome but I think Grand Slam may be a little better.”
Pennetta, ranked 26th, and Vinci, ranked 43rd, each played in her first Grand Slam final after pulling a semi-final shocker.
Vinci shattered the hopes of Serena Williams to achieve the first calendar Slam since 1988 with a semi-final win over the top-ranked defending champion while Pennetta dispatched Romania’s second-ranked Simona Halep.
“It was tough,” Vinci said of returning after the emotional drain of ousting Williams.
“I passed the 24 hours with a lot of things on my mind. I was really tired especially in the first set, but I was in the US Open final so I was really happy.” (Agencies)
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