FLAVIA PENNETTA BEATS “BESTIE” ROBERTA VINCI AND WINS THE 2015 U.S. OPEN TENNIS

Written by: Staff on 12th September 2015

FLAVIA PENNETTA BEATS "BESTIE" ROBERTA VINCI AND WINS THE 2015 U.S. OPEN TENNIS

epa04928016 Flavia Pennetta of Italy reacts as she celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Roberta Vinci of Italy in the women's final on the thirteenth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 12 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE |

Flavia Pennetta wins New York and calls time on her career

And thus it came to pass that on the 13th day of the Slam hitherto termed The US Open, two players did verily take upon the court to do battle as the gladiatrices of old. And ironically, our two contenders for today are Italians of a certain age, no less (but perhaps a little young to have graced the Coliseum)!

The ticket-buying public snapped up the tickets ahead of the men’s final for the first time, in anticipation of seeing history being made – yeah yada yada, let’s move on. While the commentators made a huge deal of the ticket prices having fallen on resale sites, some discerning fans will have picked up a bargain!

As a tennis writer, I am compelled to marvel weekly at the sport. None more so than now when two players who, by the way have both have been up there with the best. Pennetta was the first Italian to break the Top 10, and Vinci made it to World No. 11.

So – we can either wring our hands in unproductive dismay (never mind peeps – we have the World No 1 and 2 in the men’s tomorrow), or we can just settle down and enjoy the last women’s Grand Slam final of the year, because no matter how many times we twist and turn the departure of both World No. 1 Williams AND World No. 2 Halep – the fact remains neither could produce the goods when it counted.

And so without further ado, let’s grab a piece of Garlic Pizza Bread, a slice of actual pizza, and crack open a bottle of Peroni and settle down.

The Final Wrap, or should that be Ciabatta?

First order of the day was to shake off those nerves. If anything Pennetta looked to be the more jittery of the two at the start. The attack she had right from the start of her match with Halep was replaced with slower and steadier flat hitting to start with.

Nerves despatched of a sort in the first three games, Pennetta was the first to break through, albeit after squandering six previous break points – guess seven was her lucky number! That probably settled her nerves a bit as she consolidated with a serve to love. Nerves beset her once more though as Vinci broke back, and nudged back in front once more.

Into the first set tie-break, and as the clock struck one hour, Pennetta sealed the first set. Goodness it took her less time to send Halep back to Romania for a quick holiday before she takes Asia by storm!

One set down, play seemed to start in earnest and the Pennetta we saw in her semi-final against Halep returned, breaking straight away, but of course would a final be without a little weather-induced drama (please, I am British, we HAVE to talk about the weather!) as reports of drizzle began to drip (see what I did there) into Twitter time-lines.

Now that Pennetta had regained her forehand (which had been a bit jumpy in the first set), the momentum was firmly with the… older… Italian, as she jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Perhaps the emotion of the win on Friday was beginning to take its toll, as Pennetta continued her charge towards the finish-line.

Just as well because the race was on against some ominously unfriendly looking clouds. Are there any other kind? Not that Vinci paid any attention to that as she broke and held to get on the board, avoiding bagels, breadsticks (grissini?) and all manner of other bready products.

Now within a game of the title, she brought up three match points on Vinci’s serve after some very suspect shot selection with a winner to seal it.

It was, quite simply, a match too far for Vinci, as they shared a great moment at the net. In fact rarely have we seen winner and runner-up sitting together and having a good old natter together just moments after the final ball was struck.

Flavia Pennetta of Italy (R) embraces Roberta Vinci of Italy at the net after the women’s final on the thirteenth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 12 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO

But the biggest moment came at the end of her on-court – as she announced she would bow out of tennis and this would be her last year at the US Open. And we thought there would be no drama! Of course we’re not sure if she means that she decided this would be her last year, or her last ever match, but either way if you are going to announce your retirement just minutes after winning the most coveted prize in sport, that is a hell of a way to go.

Final Tidbits

· The last time two Slam debuts were made was at Roland Garros 2010 (Francesca Schiavone def. Sam Stosur) – At least we could safely say an Italian will win today!

· Pennetta is the oldest first-time finalist in the Open Era and the winner will be the oldest first-time Slam champion, usurping Schiavone

· The US Open has been kind to both of them – their career best results have come here.

· Pennetta is projected to reach a career high to No. 8, and is likely to be in a prime position now to sit in the Top 8 for the WTA Finals – IF she retires at the end of the year.

· It took Pennetta 49 attempts in Grand Slams to lift her first title.

· It was Pennetta playing when that drone crashed into the stands (!)

Ros Satar is a regular contributor to 10sballs.com and runs Britwatch Sports (@britwatchsports), because we Brits like watching sport. Occasionally we’re good at it.

Roberta Vinci of Italy holds the runner-up trophy after losing to Flavia Pennetta of Italy in the women’s final on the thirteenth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 12 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/DANIEL MURPHY

Topics: 2015 U.S. Open, Flavia Pennetta, Roberta Vinci, Ros Satar, Sports, Tennis News, US Open tennis, Wta

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10sBalls_com says:

September 12, 2015 at 3:43 pm

-@flavia_pennetta BEATS “BESTIE” @roberta_vinci AND WINS THE 2015 #USOpen #Tennis- http://t.co/fJhVj2Ie0L #TennisItaUSOpen #pennettavinci