Italian star Flavia Pennetta has confirmed her decision to retire at the end of the season and end her great career at 33 after the WTA Finals in Singapore. The player from Brindisi announced her shock news a few minutes after winning the US Open Final in New York over her close friend Roberta Vinci during the on court speech.
“Sometimes it’s getting hard for me to compete. You have to fight every week and if you don’t in the way I did today, it’s going to be bad. It was a really hard decision but I am really happy I did it. I am really happy and proud of myself”, said Pennetta.
Pennetta has secured her spot for Singapore after beating Daria Gavrilova at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. She decided to withdraw from the quarter finals immediately after qualifying for the WTA Finals due to a bladder on her foot which required a medical time-out during teh match against Gavrilova.
Pennetta will make her debut in the WTA Finals in singles after winning the doubles title with her close friend Gisela Dulko in 2010.
“Qualifying for the WTA Finals is a dream come true and the perfect way to end an amazing career. It would be a wonderful way to say goodbye to tennis. It’s a spectacular stage to bow out on. I will try to enjoy every match and I will try to do my best. It’s the perfect end to a perfect career”.
Pennetta confirmed that she does not plan to change her mind and she will not play the Olympic Games in Ro de Janeiro in 2016.
“At the moment I don’t have any idea to change my mind. I am really happy about my decision. I cannot tell you how I am going to feel in January. If I feel I want to play, I will play. I don’t have to keep just one decision because I said something. Nothing is going to change. It’s a good moment of my life. I have everything that I always would like to have. Professionally I am in the perfect moment. I won one of my favourite tournaments, one of the best tournaments in the world. I have my high ranking. I have the person that I love with me. I just can say I am really happy”.
