Newly crowned U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta was stunned in the first round of WTA Tianjin Open on Tuesday, losing to Ukraine's qualifier Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-3, 7-5.
The 33-year-old Italian could hardly find her rhythm facing her aggressive opponent before the top seed surrendered in one hour 38 minutes.
Last week, Pennetta was stopped in the third round by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at China Open in Beijing where she said she could change her mind about retirement.
Pennetta declared she would quit this year moments after winning the biggest title of her career at last month's US Open.
