Pennetta announces retirement after beating compatriot Vinci to claim maiden Grand Slam singles title

Flavia Pennetta celebrates en route to her US Open victory ©Getty Images

Flavia Pennetta announced her retirement after beating fellow Italian Roberta Vinci to win her first Grand Slam title today at the US Open in New York City.

Pennetta, the 26th seed, who had dispatched Romanian second-seed Simona Halep to make the final, made the better start against an opponent still on her high from her stunning semi-final victory over world number one Serena Williams yesterday,

An error in the eighth game did bring Vinci level at 4-4, but Pennetta stepped up her level to win the decisive tie break 7-4.

Playing in from of a full house of 23,771, including Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, she then raced into a 4-0 amid a darkening sky in the second-set, withstanding a late fightback from her opponent and childhood friend to win it 6-2.

"I make a big decision in my life - this is the way I like to say goodbye to tennis," she announced afterwards.

"One month ago I decided that this is the way I would say goodbye to tennis.

"This is my last and I couldn't think of finishing in a better way."

Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut celebrate winning the men's doubles title ©Getty Images

The 33-year-old, who will continue to play until the end of the season, becomes just the second Italian winner of a women's singles Grand Slam following Francesca Schiavone, winner of the French Open in 2010.

There was more European success in the men's doubles as French 12th seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut won 6-4, 6-4 against British-Australian pairing Jamie Murray and John Peers.

India's Leander Paes and Switzerland's Martina Hingis became the first team since Marty Riessen and Margaret Court in 1969 to win three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles in the same season.

The fourth seeds beat United States duo Sam Querrey and Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 to add to their wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Action s due to continue at Flushing Meadows tomorrow, with the finals of the women's doubles and men's singles events, where world number one Novak Djokovic of Serbia will face Switzerland's five-time winner Roger Federer.