Flavia Pennetta wins US Open, announces retirement from tennis

Flavia Penneta

Flavia Pennetta beat fellow Italian Roberta Vinci to win her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, and then announced her retirement.

Pennetta, the 26th seed, won 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to become only the second Italian woman to win one of the tennis majors.

Vinci, ranked 43rd, had stunned Serena Williams in the semi-finals,ending the world number one’s bid to win a calendar Grand Slam.

Pennetta then said: “This is the way I like to say goodbye to tennis.” The 33-year-old from Brindisi, who would rise to number eight in the world rankings, collected a winner’s cheque of $3,300,000 (£2,139,000).

Vinci, the 32-year-old from Taranto, said: “I am really happy and really happy for Flavia. It’s tough to play against a player who you have known for a long time. “I tried to play my best, but Flavia played unbelievable and I have to say congrats to her.”