Tennis: Pennetta sends Sharapova crashing out of US Open
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Error-plagued Maria Sharapova crashed out of the US Open on Friday when Italian 26th seed Flavia Pennetta pulled off a sensational 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 third round triumph.
Third-seeded Sharapova, who was one of the favourites for the title she had previously won in 2006, slumped to defeat under the weight of an embarrassing 60 unforced errors and 12 double faults.
"She played really well, but I made too many errors and they cost me the match," said Sharapova, who had won all 12 of her three-set matches in 2011 before Friday.
"I was just too inconsistent to win against her, I didn't feel comfortable with most of my game.
"It's disappointing to lose in the middle of nowhere, it's disappointing to lose in New York. Losing is hard for everyone."
Pennetta, a quarter-finalist in 2008 and 2009, goes on to face China's 13th seed Peng Shuai, the highest-ranked player left in that quarter of the draw.
The Italian has a 4-0 winning record against Peng.
"It's amazing. It's one of the best victories of my career," said 29-year-old Pennetta after the two and a half hour marathon.
"We both fought a lot and in the last set I was really nervous. I was 4-1 up and I was shaking a little bit, but now I am really proud of myself."
Pennetta had defeated the Russian in their last meeting in the semi-finals in Los Angeles two years ago while all of their three career clashes had gone the distance.
Friday's affair on a sun-kissed Arthur Ashe Stadium was no different, although the drama levels were equalled by the errors with the tie scarred by 12 breaks of serve.
The gutsy Italian sprinted into a 4-0 lead in the opener before Sharapova recovered both breaks to trail 3-4.
But back came Pennetta in the eighth game with another break before she sealed the set when her opponent dumped a volley into the net.
Sharapova, who had come back from a set down to defeat British teenager Heather Watson in her first round where she committed 58 unforced errors, was quickly 3-0 ahead in the second set.
The next four games were all against the serve until the third seed levelled the third round clash.
In a tense final set, Pennetta broke to lead 2-0 after a marathon 11-minute game and then backed it up for 3-0, surviving a mighty Sharapova barrage.
Sharapova fought off two break points to get on the board in the fourth game and called upon all of her fighting instincts to hit back to 3-4 and hold for 4-4.
Pennetta held her nerve for 5-4 before Sharapova crumbled in the last game of the 60-minute set, handing the initiative to Pennetta with two double faults before the Italian secured victory with a free-swinging backhand winner.
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