Pennetta Knocks Off Second-Seeded Radwanska in Dubai

February 19, 2014 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal

Flavia Pennetta pulled off a major upset at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Wednesday, defeating the second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska to advance to round three, 6-4, 6-1. Pennetta had lost their last three encounters in straight sets and was on her way to a fourth defeat as Radwanska got out to a 4-1 lead in the first set before Pennetta reeled off eight games in a row to build a 6-4, 3-0 en route to the win.

"I'm of course really happy. It was the first time I've beaten her in six years—I thought I would never beat her again," Pennetta said. "But today, I played really well. My idea of what I had to do was clear, and I tried to go for the points all the time. I made a few mistakes in the beginning—I was down 4-1, but every game was a big fight, but I kept going and stayed aggressive and it worked in the end."

Pennetta will next meet Venus Williams, a 6-2, 6-1 winner in just under an hour over Ana Ivanovic. Venus lost to Ivanovic in the finals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand just before the Australian Open in January.

"I definitely learned a lot from the last time we played each other,” Venus said. “I definitely think I approached this match differently. I've improved a lot since then and have had to take some tough losses, but I've learned from them, and I've made them constructive. That's what I'm trying to do each time."

In seven career meetings, Pennetta has a 4-3 advantage over Venus, most recently having met in 2009 in Cincinnati, a match won by Pennetta, 7-6(2), 6-4.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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