Pennetta shocks Williams to reach Bangkok final

By Martin Petty

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Italy's Flavia Pennetta stunned Wimbledon champion Venus Williams with an impressive 6-4 7-6 win to reach the Bangkok Open final on Saturday.

Pennetta held her nerve as the second-seeded American launched a determined fightback, the Italian emerging victorious in a marathon second set tiebreak to end her opponent's hopes of reaching a third straight WTA final.

"That was one of the most beautiful wins of my career," Pennetta told reporters.

"When she came back, I started to think I'd lost my chance to win. I knew it would be a tough match. I was a little nervous but I played good tennis."

Pennetta, ranked 49th in the world and winner of three tour titles, added: "I was against such a great player. I just had to go for it, because anything can happen."

The seventh seed unleashed some powerful serves and venomous groundstrokes and chased everything the lofty American threw at her, breaking serve at 5-4 to take the first set.

Pennetta broke her opponent at 2-2 in the second and with the help of a succession of double faults and sloppy returns from Williams, opened up a comfortable 4-2 cushion.

However, the winner of 36 WTA titles came straight back, whacking a series of topspin-loaded forehands to turn the match around and move 6-5 ahead.