US Open 2009: Oudin’s Wild Ride Reaches the Quarterfinals, Melanie Oudin Photo

Author: admin

8 Sep

Melanie Oudin, 17, of Marietta, Ga., kept her astounding streak going by dismantling No. 13 seed Nadia Petrova in a 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 at the U.S. Open on Monday. Melanie Oudin Photo

Down a set against another much taller and much more experienced Russian opponent, Melanie Oudin had Nadia Petrova just where she wanted her.

Or so it is beginning to seem at this United States Open, where the 17-year-old Oudin has become a tennis star by producing comebacks and upsets on a round-by-round basis.

“I don’t actually mean to lose the first set,” Oudin clarified on Monday.

But she clearly does have every intention of hustling and picking at her strings until she finds a way to win, and her surprising and deeply inspiring run through the draw has taken her all the way to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

The latest big-hitting Russian to be trapped in her web was the 13th-seeded Petrova, who looked as if she might actually write a downbeat ending to Oudin’s Open fairy tale when she ripped through the first set in 31 minutes, reeling off six games in a row. But Oudin, from Marietta, Ga., stayed true to her September form by settling herself, extending the rallies, developing a deeper understanding of Petrova’s serve and giving herself and her fast-growing public what they both craved by prevailing, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3. Next >>