Agence France-Presse
Milan, Dec 16: US Open champion Flavia Pennetta could delay retirement from tennis by playing at the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, she clarified here Wednesday that she won’t ‘risk’ partnering boyfriend Fabio Fognini in the mixed doubles.
Pennetta defeated Roberta Vinci earlier this year in the first ever all-Italian Grand Slam final to claim the biggest win of her career, and then immediately announced her retirement from the sport at the end of the season. The 33-year-old right-hander supposedly ended her career two months ago with defeat to Maria Sharapova at the WTA Finals in Singapore.
But although she has been enjoying some time off in recent months, Pennetta hinted at participating at next summer’s Olympics.
“Right now I’m taking some time for myself, and if the desire to play returns then I will always have time to go back on my decision,” Pennetta said on the fringes of an Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) awards ceremony here. “I’m not setting any time limits, whether I go to Rio or not depends on how I feel. At the top level, if you’re not in the mood to compete the younger players will walk all over you. But then I am not ruling out a return at Rio.”
When asked if she would partner Fognini in mixed doubles, the Italian said tongue-in-cheek: “With Fabio, it’s best to keep things in the private sphere. When you mix certain things you risk breaking them up sooner than you expect and I don’t want that.”
Pennetta, who turned professional in 2000, has 11 singles and 17 doubles titles to her name.