By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 29, 2015
Flavia Pennetta took the court in Singapore playing to extend her career.
Maria Sharapova was in no mood for emotional encores.
Driving flat strikes to terminate points, Sharapova played with buzz-kill brilliance reeling off 11 of the final 13 games to overwhelm Pennetta, 7-5, 6-1, at the WTA Finals in what was likely the Italian's final singles match.
Video: Radwanska's Stupefying Set Point
"I lost the last couple of times against Flavia. I know what a tough opponent and competitor she is," Sharapova said. "I just tried to get a little bit of revenge before she's out of the game. So sad to see a great champion go. I heard it's her last match. It's really sad. I'm so happy she got the Grand Slam at the US Open. I was smiling for her."
An inspired Pennetta conquered Roberta Vinci to capture her first Grand Slam title at the US Open last month then stunned the New York City crowd announcing she would retire at the end of this season.
The 33-year-old Pennetta took the court today knowing she need to win just one set to qualify for the Singapore semifinals and extend her career.
Imagine playing with the question floating through Flavia's head. Would this match be the end of her career or a fresh start in the season-ending semifinals?
Holding a 4-2 lead, Pennetta was two games from qualifying, but Sharapova dropped the hammer shattering her hopes.
The third-seeded Russian and Agnieszka Radwanska, whom Sharapova beat in her opening round-robin match, both advanced to the semifinals from the Red Group. Radwanska won her 500th match in style fighting past top-seeded Simona Halep.
The fifth-seeded Radwanska, who dropped her opening two matches, rallied from 1-5 down in the tie break defeating Halep, 7-6 (5), 6-1, earlier today. Though Radwanska, Halep and Pennetta all finished round-robin play with 1-3 records, Radwanska advanced by virtue of her 3-4 record in sets played.
Looking poised at the start and cracking her two-handed backhand with vigor, Pennetta held at 15 to extend to 3-1. Holding break point in the next game, Pennetta narrowly missed the mark on a forehand return down the line. That shot would have given her a double-break lead. Instead, Sharapova saved a second break point with an ace working through a tough hold for 2-3.
Down 0-30, Pennetta accelerated through a sharp-angled backhand winner, but spun a double fault to face double break point in the eighth game. Attacking behind a forehand, Sharapova whirled into a backhand swing volley winner, converting her first break point for 4-all.
Two holds from qualifying for the semifinals, Pennetta was soon trying to hold onto her place in the set.
Moving forward again, Sharapova swatted a forehand out of the air snatching her third straight game and a 5-4 lead.
Serving for the tie break, Pennetta pushed a backhand sitter long. Instead of a 30-0 lead, it was 15-all. That miss proved costly. A tight Pennetta netted a down the line drive to face double set point. She slide an ace on the first, but Sharapova was all over a second serve, rushed net and crushed another swing volley winner to take the set and send Pennetta one step closer to retirement.
Sharapova won six of seven net points in the 53-minute set growing stronger and bolder as Pennetta lost the depth on her drives and wilted a bit beneath the pressure during the final stages.
Backing the US Open champion up with her pace, Sharapova pulled the string on a backhand dropshot breaking for 2-0. Thumping an ace out wide, Sharapova sealed her fifth straight game for a commanding 3-0 lead.
Pennetta stalled the free-fall holding from 15-40 down for 1-3.
It was too little, too late.
By then, Pennetta had lost the plot and Sharapova was powering through games with vicious resolve.
The 33-year-old veteran double faulted away another break for 5-1. When Pennetta put a backhand into net on match point, the pair embraced at net.
Then Pennetta packed her Red Wilson bag and walked off, for perhaps the final time, with a wave. A heartfelt parting ciao from a champion.