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Oudin Continues Defying Odds at US Open

Jeanne Dupuis — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:57:23 +0000

The Cinderella story continues for 17-year-old American, Melanie Oudin, who has advanced to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal ever. I’ve been cheering for her ever since she knocked out Elena Dementieva (she also dismissed Maria Sharapova) but I doubted her ability to make it this far – I love it when an athlete proves me wrong!

This 70th-ranked teen took out 13th-seeded Nadia Petrova 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 with a tremendous amount of determination and guts. She looked a little shaky at first but she fought her way to the victory. “I don’t actually mean to lose the first set. I just I sometimes just start off slowly, I guess,” Oudin said. “Maybe I’m a little nervous and all this stuff. But today my timing just wasn’t there in the first. My mindset going into the second was different. I totally forgot about the first. I was like, ‘All right. This is a new set. I’m going to start differently and forget about the first one and just start off like it’s a new match,’ and I started playing better.”

image: Zuma Press

I know that some people have said that they’ve been turned off by her little celebrations when she earns a point but give the kid a break. This has got to be surreal to her.

Fittingly, Oudin will face Caroline Wozniacki who will also be competing in a Grand Slam for the first time after eliminating Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Post from: EveryJoe

Oudin Continues Defying Odds at US Open

Oudin Ousts Sharapova at US Open

Jeanne Dupuis — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:55:32 +0000

Maria Sharapova appeared to be on the verge of a great comeback after really struggling since her shoulder injury. Any plans to progress to the finals at the 2009 U.S. Open were ended, however, when the Russian star lost to American teenager, Melanie Oudin.

image: Zuma Press

The upset happened when the 70th ranked, Oudin, beat former No. 1, Sharapova, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Sharapova appeared to have the edge during the opening set but things quickly changed with Oudin found her rhythm. When the match was decided, Oudin burst into tears with excitement.

The teen from Georgia is enjoying a great start to the U.S. Open – she eliminated Elena Dementieva (fourth ranked) on Thursday. Oudin will face Russia’s Nadia Petrova in the fourth-round.

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Oudin Ousts Sharapova at US Open

Oudin Upsets Jankovic at Wimbledon

Jeanne Dupuis — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:52:01 +0000

American teen, Melanie Oudin, shocked former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic by eliminating her 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2 to pull off what might be the biggest upset at the 2009 Wimbledon championships so far. I’m not sure if the 82F/28C degree heat played a factor, though, since the pair took a 12 minute break after Jankovic called for a medical timeout. The sixth seeded Serbian star had to lay on the court for a little while with a blood pressure cuff on her arm. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she called another timeout later for her left foot. Basically, it was a nightmare for Jankovic but a dream come true for Oudin who had never one a Grand Slam match.

image: Zuma Press

Venus Williams beat her opponent, Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-4. The straight-set victory has brought her a little closer to winning her third consecutive Wimbledon title. Williams played like she was seeking to avenge herself after losing to Suarez in the second round at this year’s Australian Open. Williams will next battle 13th-seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic in a fourth-round match.

Here’s a rundown of the other women’s results from Wimbledon:

Fifth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova was knocked out by unseeded German Sabine Lisicki 6-2, 7-5.
Ninth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki reached the fourth round for the first time by beating No. 20 Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.
Former Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo beat 15th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3.

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Oudin Upsets Jankovic at Wimbledon