ITALY’S Flavia Pennetta became a Grand Slam champion and then announced she was going to quit at the end of the year. The 33-year-old, who almost gave up tennis three years ago after a second bout of wrist surgery, edged out her old friend and compatriot Roberta Vinci in a battle of nerve and wits, coming out on top 7-6, 6-2 to become the first Italian woman to win the US Open.

“One month before this tournament I made a big decision in my life,” Pennetta said. “This is the way I would like to say goodbye to tennis.

“I’m going to finish the year for sure, because I would love to play the end of the season, but after that’s, it’s done.

“I’m really happy right now. Before this tournament I never thought I would be a champion so that’s when things like this happen, it’s a big surprise for me. It’s a dream come true. Always when I was younger I was thinking to be No 1 or a grand slam. I’m really happy.”

Vinci, ranked 43 but as high as 11 two years ago, had ended Serena Williams’ quest for the calendar year Grand Slam in the semi-finals but was second best to the more consistent and slightly more powerful opponent. Pennetta took her seventh break point to lead 3-2, only to hand the break back for 4-4 as Vinci utilised the backhand slice which had helped wear down Williams.

The tie-break, as it so often does, proved crucial as Pennetta, finding the range on her favoured two-handed backhand, won it 7-4, aiming a fist pump in the direction of her boyfriend, Flavia Pennetta, watching in the stands.

More relaxed, Pennetta held a tough opening service game of the second set and then broke twice on the way to a 4-0 lead in the second. Vinci got one of the breaks back and held for 4-2 and for a moment, as a few drops of rain began to fall and Pennetta looked nervous, a turnaround seemed possible.

But the former world No 10 held her nerve, extending her lead to 5-2 and then breaking to love to clinch by far the biggest victory of her career.

“It was tough, I was a little bit tired, especially in the first set,” Vinci said. “But I lost in the final and I am really happy for Flavia.”