Flavia Pennetta, a 33-year-old Italian seeded 26th, played contained and consistent tennis, with flashes of brilliance, to upset No. 2 Simona Halep and reach her first major final, 6-1, 6-3.
After a first-set rout, it appeared that the Romanian had finally gotten her teeth in the match, running out to a 3-1 lead in the second, but Pennetta responded by reeling off four straight games and 15 points in a row to snatch the momentum back. The Italian streaked to the win in just 59 minutes. “I didn’t think to be so far in the tournament,” Pennetta siad after her victory. “It’s amazing to be here today. I don’t know how to handle all the pressure I have, but I think I played really well.” It was a spectacular display by Pennetta, who moved extremely well and employed a sound, all-court game, striking 23 winners, including nine of 14 at the net. The match was an equally disappointing performance from Halep, who was seeking her second Slam final (she reached the final at Roland Garros last year). Playing not against a power player – like her quarterfinal victim Victoria Azarenka – but another excellent mover and baseliner in Pennetta, Halep was not able to step up and assume the role of aggressor. Pennetta early on was content to hit deep, high balls and goad Halep into mistakes. Halep committed the same number of errors, 23, as winners that Pennetta struck. In the second set, after Halep appeared to have found a spark and the match looked headed to a deciding set, Pennetta broke back to even the set at 3-3. Gaining in confidence and taking advantage of listless play from Halep, the Italian began to swat a slew of stylish winners, swiftly racing past her outgunned opponent and into the final.
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