Maria Sharapova beat Flavia Pennetta 7-5 6-1 to secure her first place in the Red Group with three wins ahead of Agnieszka Radwanska who beat Simona Halep in straight sets.
Pennetta held a 3-2 lead in her previous head-to-head matches against Sharapova and won their most recent clashes. Earlier this year Pennetta fought back from a set down to beat Sharapova 3-6 6-3 6-2.
Pennetta needed to win a set to qualify for the semifinals. Radwanska, who beat Simona Halep in straight sets in today’s first match, needed Sharapova’s win in straight sets to keep alive her hopes to reach the semifinals.
Pennetta got a break in the first game of the match and held her service game. At 3-1 Pennetta had the chance for the double break but Sharapova saved the break point.
Pennetta held her service games en route to 4-2. In the 8th game Sharapova earned her first break points at 3-4 and converted her chance to draw level to 4-4. The set went on serve until the 12th game when Pennetta made a forehand error at 15-0. Sharapova earned a break point chance which she converted to seal the first set with 7-5.
Sharapova came back from 2-4 down by reeling off five of the next six games with her groundstrokes and her drop-shots to win the first set with 7-5 after 54 minutes. She raised her level as the set went on. In the first set she won 72 percent of her first serve points and hit 12 winners to 15 unforced errors. She converted two of her three break point chances.
Pennetta won 68 percent of her first serve points and hit 11 winners to 10 unforced errors. The Italian converted one of her three break point chances.
Sharapova went up a set and a break for a 2-0 lead in the second set with a drop-shot. It was her second consecutive break and the third in the last four Pennetta’s service games. Sharapova reeled off seven of the last eight points en route to building up a 3-0 lead. Pennetta saved two break points with two consecutive aces to hold serve from 15-40 down for her first game of the second set.
Sharapova hit her seventh ace of the match to hold her serve to 30 to build up a 4-1 lead.
Pennetta made a double fault on break point to drop her serve. Sharapova served out for the match at 5-1 as Pennetta made a backhand error to seal her first place in the Red Group ahead of the other qualifier Agnieszka Radwanska who won the 500th match of her career against Halep.
Sharapova showed great form this week after a long break from tennis due to injury. She came back from a set down to beat Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the first round-robin match. She went on to beat Simona Halep 6-4 6-4 in the second match.
After the match Sharapova hugged Pennetta who made he farewell appearance on a tennis court after a brilliant career in which she won 11 WTA titles, including her first Grand Slam triumph in New York last September and became the first Italian player in history to break the top-10 in 2009.
At the end of the 1 hour and 27 minute match Sharapova won 68 percent of her first serve points and hit 30 winners to 19 unforced errors. She hit 7 aces and converted four of her eight break point chances.
Pennetta ended her career with 18 winners to 14 unforced errors, two aces and 4 double faults.
Sharapova paid her tribute to Pennetta’s extrahordinary career in the post-match interview.
“I just heard this was her last match. It’s really sad to see such a great champion go. She has had an incredible career and I was so happy she got the Grand Slam at the US Open. I was smiling for her. I have lost the last couple of times against Flavia. I know what a tough competitor and opponent she is. I just wanted to get a little bit of revenge before she goes out of the game”, said Sharapova