RETIRED PENNETTA HINTS AT RIO RETURN
MILAN: US Open champion Flavia Pennetta could delay retirement from tennis by play ing at the 2016 Rio Olympics but says she won’t ‘risk’ part nering boyfriend Fabio Fognin 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 announced her retirement from the sport.
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 deci sion,” Pennetta said on the fringes of an Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) awards cer emony on Tuesday.
But Pennetta, who won an Australian Open doubles title partnering Argentina’s Gisela Dulko in 2011, said she would put her relationship with Fognini at risk if they teamed up in Rio. “With Fabio, it’s best to keep things in the private sphere,” she said. “When you mix certain things together you risk breaking them up sooner than expected.”
BOPANNA SHINES
AS ACES MARCH ON
DUBAI: India’s Rohan Bopanna won his singles as well as doubles match as Indian Aces extended their domination in the IPTL, winning the contest against Philippine Marvericks comfortably 30-17 on Wednesday
Late on Monday, team Philippine Mavericks’ Ivo Karlovic defeated 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer 6-4 in the men’s singles to lead his team to a 26 24 win against