In a surprising US Open final, it will be an all Italian affair, as Roberta Vinci battles Flavia Pennetta for the title. Join The Roar for live scores of the final from 5:00am AEST.
If you picked these two ladies to make the final, I would have called you an absolute genius. Neither of these two players were in contention for the final, at the start of the event, but deserve to be there after their performances at the event.
Flavia Pennetta defeated top 5 players Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep on her way to a first Grand Slam final for the Italian.
Roberta Vinci, who had never made a quarter final until this event in singles, provided the shock of the year so far.
With Serena Williams just two wins away from the calendar grand slam, and 28 straight wins in 2015 at this level, Vinci had other ideas as she stunned the home crowd.
After losing the first set 6-2, the Italian won the last two 6-4 6-4, to make her first final and continue the drought of a player winning all four Slams in one year.
Incredibly, despite hitting less winners, and winning less points, the Italian stunned the world number 1. Now she is one win away from a US Open.
In doubles though Vinci has won six Grand Slam titles including one here in 2012. Pennetta has also won a doubles Grand Slam title with a win in Australia in 2011.
This is the first time in the history of the big four events that two Italians will face off for a title. Only one Italian has won a Grand Slam with Francesca Schiavone winning the 2010 French Open. This morning one of these two ladies will join her.
Vinci and Pennetta have faced each other 9 times in their career, with Pennetta leading 5-4. Only two of those meetings have been on hard courts, with six on clay. It is 1-1 on hard courts with Pennetta winning a 2013 meeting at the US Open 6-4 6-1.
Much like the Halep Pennetta match, in the semis, this contest will be dictated by the baseline. The serve will also be important with both players still conceding breaks in their wins yesterday. Pennetta conceded two, out of the four games she lost, while Vinci conceded four. Holding serve, under pressure in the final, will be huge.
This match looks to be a really hard contest to pick. Both are evenly matched and both will be extremely nervous. Whoever can get on top of that will be the most likely to win.
Pennetta is a heavy favourite with the bookies but Vinci is right in this. I’m going to lean towards Pennetta who could move into the top ten with the win. She won here two years ago against Vinci and could use that match to build momentum for a win this morning.
Prediction – Pennetta 2-1
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