Flavia Pennetta of Italy (R) holds her US Open Trophy next to compatriot Roberta Vinci during the award presentation ceremony following their women's singles final match at the US Open Championships tennis tournament in New York, Sept 12, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Better than expected

Pennetta, who previously climbed as high as 10th in the rankings in 2009 and will shoot up to No 8 after this success, always seemed to save her best Grand Slam performances for the US Open.

Prior to this week, she was a semifinalist in New York in 2013 and reached the Flushing Meadows quarterfinals on four other occasions.

"I think I did everything that I expected," she said of her career. "More. Much more."

There to congratulate both finalists was Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

"He said, 'You won't understand what will happen now in Italy. It's good that you are here because it's going to be crazy back in Italy now. It's good to stay here a few days, just relax a little bit and then go back home,'" said Pennetta.

Making the occasion extra special was sharing the stage with Vinci, who had miraculously overcome top-seeded world No 1 Serena Williams with a stunning semifinal victory that crushed the American's dream of completing a calendar grand slam.

"She is like a sister," said Pennetta. "It's so magical, you have one of your best friends with you in this moment. It's amazing."

They met some 24 years ago as young players in southern Italy.

"It's funny to be here today, because we played our first match when we were nine years old," she said, adding that they moved to Rome together when she was 14.

"We spent four years in a house together in the same room in Rome at the Italian Federation.

"We have so many things in our life happening together. So today was a really big day for both of us."