Italy's Flavia Pennetta reacts after a point against Russia's Maria Sharapova during their women's singles round robin tennis match at the WTA Finals in Singapore on October 29, 2015. PHOTO: AFP
Flavia Pennetta’s brilliant late-career flourish was brought crashing to a halt by Maria Sharapova on Thursday as defeat by the Russian sent her out of the WTA Finals and into retirement.
The reigning US Open champion only needed to win a set against Sharapova to reach the semi-finals but after going a break up in the first set, she stuttered before losing 7-5, 6-1.
The colourful Pennetta, 33, announced her retirement last month, just moments after becoming the oldest first-time Grand Slam winner at the US Open in New York. While tennis bids farewell to the Italian — apart from a possible appearance at next year’s Olympics — Sharapova marched into the semi-finals alongside Agnieszka Radwanska.
Pennetta keeps WTA Finals hopes alive
Pennetta was in good company, as top seed Simona Halep’s season also came to an end when she lost 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 to an inspired Radwanska.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2015.
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