Pennetta grinds out another upset win, beats Peng

Tuesday, 6 September 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Italy’s Flavia Pennetta felt sick to her stomach on a hot, muggy day at the U.S. Open Sunday, but dug deep to push on and beat 13th-seeded Peng Shuai of China 6-4 7-6 and reach the quarter-finals.

Pennetta persevered through a spell of dry retching when she was two points away from ending the match in the 12th game, and then fought back from 6-2 down in the second-set tiebreaker by winning the last six points to take the decider 8-6 and end the two hour 31 minute struggle.

It was the second successive upset registered by the 29-year-old Italian, who toppled third-seeded former champion Maria Sharapova in a third-round shocker.

“I was feeling really bad,” said Pennetta, who became physically ill behind the baseline serving for the match with a 30-love advantage.

“I think it was because it’s really humid today. It’s hot. And also, when you are there, you have a lot of emotion in the court.

“My body just need to breathe, and I starting maybe to have the sensation to throw up. But doesn’t, without nothing inside, so it didn’t come out.”

Peng, 25, saved one match point in the 12th game before breaking serve to send the set to a tie-break, and raced to a 5-1 then 6-2 lead against her struggling opponent.