Monday September 7, 2009
Diminutive Melanie the new darling of American tennis
US OPEN
FLUSHING MEADOWS, NEW YORK
IF anyone had told Melanie Oudin just a few months ago that she would be surging into the world’s top 50 before the end of the year, she probably would not have “believed” it.
The new darling of American tennis — who whizzes around the court in her bright pink and yellow shoes stamped at the heel with her mantra “BELIEVE” — ended 2008 ranked 177th in the world.
Melanie Oudin pumps her fist after her win over Maria Sharapova. — AFP Nine months later the 17-year-old who has captivated the fans with her bubbly personality and audacious on court craft is on the verge of becoming a member of the tennis elite.
Her runs to the fourth round at Wimbledon and the US Open, where she has claimed the scalps of Olympic champion Elena Dementieva and 2006 US Open winner Maria Sharapova, has already left her on the fringe of the top 50.
“I was hoping to be top 50 but if I keep playing like this, I can get as high as anything,” a beaming Oudin told the crowd in an on-court interview after her 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over 29th seed Sharapova.
This has been quite a year for Oudin as not since a then 17-year-old Sharapova outwitted Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final has such a performance grabbed the sport’s imagination.
On Saturday the 1.68m tall world number 70 became the youngest American to reach the Open fourth round since Williams’ stunning title run in 1999.
“How I would describe the whole experience?” asked Oudin, already the third highest-ranked American behind Serena and her sister Venus.
“There’s not really one word. Everything about it is just unbelievable. But basically I love to play tennis, and that’s why I’m here. I’m loving it.”
Since the Williams sisters are on the other side of the draw, many home-town fans have already started dreaming about the possibility of an Oudin-Williams showdown for the Flushing Meadows title on Sept 12. — Reuters
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