Player of the week: Flavia Pennetta

Last week, Italia got a shocking victory in France by 0-5 in the quarter-finals of the Fed Cup with the leadership of Flavia Pennetta. Pennetta was scheduled to open the tie against former WTA #1 Amelie Mauresmo. Mauresmo took the first set by 6/2 and got an early lead in the second, but Pennetta fought back to force the tiebreak. The tiebreak was dramatic and full of tension. Pennetta went up 5-1 and had two set points when leading 6-4, but lost them on unforced errors. And overruled passing shot that followed gave Mauresmo a 7-6 lead and match point for France, prompting Pennetta to make a rude gesture towards chair umpire. Her moment of craziness was pursued by a poor double fault from an unfocused Mauresmo, sending the tiebreak Italy’s way. In the third set, Mauresmo took a 4-1 lead, but Pennetta hung in and gave her all to take it 6/4. After a very tight victory of Francesca Schiavone over Alize Cornet in the 2nd match, Pennetta had the chance and the responsability of giving the victory to Italy on the third match, facing the young French star and WTA #14 Cornet. And she didn't feel any pressure nor fear, as she played her best to sweep Cornet by 6/2 6/2. Then her temamates Errani and Vinci completed the 0-5 victory, but the hardest work was already done by Pennetta.