Pennetta enters top 10

For the first time in her career, Flavia Pennetta has entered the top 10 in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings. It was a long time coming, but no one has worked harder than Pennetta to raise the level of her game. She had a previous high ranking of 11, but today--when she defeated Daniela Hantuchova in Cincinnati--she gave herself the push she needed to enter the elite group of 10.

Pennetta has now won 15 straight matches. She won back-t0-back tournaments in Palermo and Los Angeles, and she is now the first Italian woman to make it to the top 10. In typical Pennetta form, she did lose control of her serve in her Cincinnati quarterfinal, and she also had to fend off a serious fight from Hantuchova toward the end of the match. Hantuchova saved six match points, but could not break Pennetta, who finally sealed a 6-3, 6-3 victory.