Pennetta claims first 2010 win

Flavia Pennetta beat Carla Suarez Navarro in a hard-fought Andalucia Tennis Experience final on Sunday.

Italian beats Suarez Navarro in three sets to win Andalucia Open

Italian ace Flavia Pennetta claimed her first title of the year after defeating Carla Suarez Navarro in a hard-fought Andalucia Tennis Experience final on Sunday. The second seed had not dropped a set all week on the clay in Marbella going into the final, but had to survive a fight-back by the Spaniard to win 6-2 4-6 6-3. The 28-year-old Italian at first appeared to be in for a routine afternoon when she powered through the first set, taking both of her break-point opportunities and winning 31 of the 50 points on offer. But the Spanish eighth seed improved in the second set, upping her first-serve percentage to 75 per cent and breaking twice to level the match. The decider could have gone either way as both players struggled to hold serve - with six breaks in nine games in total. But Pennetta took four of those - including in the final game when Suarez Navarro saved one match point at 30-40 down on her serve, but the world number 16 won the next two points to seal a ninth career title.