Italy's Roberta Vinci ends professional tennis career

Italy's Roberta Vinci ends professional tennis career

Aleksandra Krunic. (File Photo: Xinhua/Wang Lei/IANS)

Roberta Vinci. (File Photo: Xinhua/Zou Zheng/IANS)

Rome, May 15 (IANS) AItaly's Roberta Vinci on Monday played her last professional tennis match at age 35, losing to Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the first round of the Italian Open here.

During Vinci's farewell ceremony held at Pietrangeli court following her defeat, a video of key moments from her career was shown on a large screen, reports Efe.

"I'm crying now but I'm happy, I'm happy for what I've accomplished," Vinci said. "I would have liked to do better but it doesn't matter that I lost."

Vinci had an opportunity to stretch her career for at least one more match, but lost 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 in her last tournament as a professional.

Over her long career, Vinci won 10 singles titles, but lost her biggest singles final at the US Open to fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta.

However, Vinci had a successful doubles partnership with Sara Errani, also of Italy, earning five Grand Slam titles; French Open (2012), US Open (2012), Australian Open (2013, 2014) and Wimbledon (2014).

--IANS

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