Pennetta, who beat fellow Italian Roberta Vinci in New York to claim her first Grand Slam title on Saturday (September 12) before announcing her retirement from tennis, was speaking after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed Rome as one of five candidate cities in the race for the 2024 Games, along with Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles and Paris.

The 33-year-old now wants her performance to inspire all Italians to get behind Rome’s efforts to land the Games, as the city did in 1960.

"I just played at the US Open the match of my life away from home," she said.

"I cannot imagine the joy of achieving that victory in front of my audience.

"It would have been a very strong emotion.

"However, after this great year for me in 2015, now it's the time for Rome.

"I think Italy has good cards to play all the way and I call on everyone to put your heart into the bid.

"If Rome will need a winning smash, I'm ready."

Swimmer Federica Pellegrini, gold medallist in the 200 metres freestyle at Beijing 2008, is among the other Italian sports stars to have expressed their support.

"I cannot describe the excitement of an athlete who competes in front of their own audience, at home, driven by the indescribable warmth of their supporters," she said.

"I experienced this emotion in Rome during the Swimming World Championships in 2009 and I know what it means.

"Now Rome and Italy can dream of the Games and I'm on their side to win this competition.

"To bring the magic of the Olympics in a city like Rome, where everything is beauty, culture, history, would be magical and extraordinary.”

Two-time Olympic silver medal-winning long jumper Fiona May has also given her endorsement to the bid along with Alberto Tomba, a three-time Olympic gold medal-winning Alpine skier; Alessandra Sensini, winner of top honours in the women’s mistral sailing event at Sydney 2000; and Jury Chechi, gold medallist in the men’s rings gymnastics event as Atlanta 1996.

"For someone like me, who has chosen Italy as their home and appreciates its beauties and genius, the Olympics in Rome are a fantastic dream," said May, a British-born Italian.

"Italy proved in 1960 that it knows how to organise the Games very well, and marked the history of the Olympics writing pages of legendary sports.

"We need to revive Italy's pride and experience the atmosphere of what Rome has to offer.

"I also believe in another dream; to see my girls competing on the Olympic track."

In July, Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino vowed not to build "cathedrals in the desert", as a delegation from Rome visited Lausanne to discuss its plans for the 2024 Games with the IOC.

Accompanied by a 24-strong group, Marino said Rome’s blueprint for 2024 would utilise many facilities built six decades ago for the 1960 Games.

A final decision on the winning bidder is due to be made by the IOC at its session in Lima, Peru, in September 2017.



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