NEW YORK (AP) -- Forget about forehands and backhands. Melanie Oudin's biggest weapon is her heart.The 17-year-old sparkplug from Georgia proved it again Monday at the U.S. Open, extending her remarkable run to the quarterfinals with another come-from-behind victory, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 over 13th-seeded Nadia Petrova.
Oudin staved off two points that would have put her behind 5-3 in the second set, then rolled through the third, hitting corners with those underrated groundstrokes and taking advantage of 22 unforced errors by her more-seasoned, higher-ranked opponent.
Rankings, like her age, however, are only numbers.
The 70th-ranked player already had wins over No. 4 Elena Dementieva and No. 29 Maria Sharapova at Flushing Meadows, along with one over former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic this summer at Wimbledon. Now, she's knocked off No. 13.
Too young to know any better? Maybe. Regardless, she has become the youngest American to move into the quarterfinals at America's Grand Slam since Serena Williams in 1999.
"I think this is going to do a lot," Oudin said. "I think it's good for American tennis."
Not so good for Russian tennis, though.
All four of Oudin's wins have come against Russians and her next match could be against yet another. That's sixth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 Open champion and the only Grand Slam tournament winner left on Oudin's side of the bracket.
After hitting a forehand to the corner for her 19th and final winner on match point, Oudin threw her racket in the air. This time, however, she didn't cry any tears of disbelief. Instead, it was twin sister Katherine sobbing in the stands.
"I'm so happy to be in my first quarterfinal Grand Slam ever," Oudin told the crowd in her postmatch, on-court interview.
Talk about heart. Oudin improved to 6-1 at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open this year when she's lost the first set. She is 17-4 overall this year in three-set matches.
"I started serving better, thought I could do it and -- I did," she said.
But Oudin won this match without serving a single ace, another indication she is not blowing anybody away with sheer power. Instead, it's footwork, technique, precision. Mostly, though, she is thriving in pressure situations that make so many others in the sport shrink away.
"You don't know if she's winning or losing," said her father, John. "She doesn't seem nervous out there - and I don't know where that came from."
Oudin stung two forehand winners, including one when she was positioned completely outside the court, to take a quick 3-0 lead in the second-set tiebreaker. She also took advantage of three unforced errors and a double-fault from her 27-year-old opponent, who was trying to make her third Open quarterfinal.
"I have a feeling like I really didn't finish my job off on the court," Petrova said. "She came back, and after winning her previous matches in the same way, she probably thought, I can do it again."
U.S. Open Photos
Rafael Nadal from Spain arranges his shirt during the 1st round US Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 2, 2009 in New York. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Marcos Daniel of Brazil returns a shot against Jose Acasuso of Argentina during day three of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2009 in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marcos Daniel
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Kim Clijsters of Belgium returns a shot against Marion Bartoli of France during day three of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2009 in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kim Clijsters
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Jose Acasuso of Argentina returns a shot against Marcos Daniel of Brazil during day three of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2009 in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jose Acasuso
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Jose Acasuso of Argentina returns a shot against Marcos Daniel of Brazil during day three of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2009 in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jose Acasuso
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Jose Acasuso of Argentina returns a shot against Marcos Daniel of Brazil during day three of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2009 in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jose Acasuso
Getty Images
Rafael Nadal from Spain arranges his shirt during the 1st round US Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 2, 2009 in New York. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal from Spain puts on a shirt during his 1st round US Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 2, 2009 in New York. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal from Spain puts on his shirt during his 1st round US Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 2, 2009 in New York. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal from Spain rests against Richard Gasquet of France during their 1st round US Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 2, 2009 in New York. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
By Eddie Pells
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-07-2009 @ 4:04PM
dowjacobs said...
What a great story in the US Open. I was able to go to Melanie Oudin's second match and the crowd was electric. I found myself watching a 17 year old girl playing like she had been there before. She has made a believer out of me and all I can say is go Melanie. I am such a fan of hers. You got to love her.
Reply
9-07-2009 @ 4:11PM
dowjacobs said...
She did it again! I am a big Yankee fan and instead of going to todays game I went to see Melanie Oudin play at the US Open. I was so blown away with her, I found myself along with the crowd cheering another comeback against another Top Russian player. She is living the dream and I am such a big fan. This 17 year old American girl plays like a veteran. You just have to love this girl.
Clayton Dow Jacobs New York 2009
Reply
9-07-2009 @ 4:30PM
kcaparion9 said...
I am a fan of the williams and Kim but now I have a new one,Melanie you go girl you rock keep going.
Reply
9-08-2009 @ 12:18AM
kayrenny said...
Melanie rocks. She is America's next big tennis star. No fear. She should however recognize that she is not playing "girls" as she keeps saying. She is playing women. She is the only one who is still considered a teenager.
Reply
9-08-2009 @ 6:57AM
kado said...
Let the world see how Americans do it. Pure heart baby!!! Never say die. That's how we live world. I Wish her the very best. And to everybody else to. Peace in the Middle East. Ya Heard!!!!!!!
Reply
9-08-2009 @ 9:56AM
majorhardon420 said...
YOUNG LADY THATS A GREAT JOB...RUSSIANS USED TO HAVE THE (HOT) ADVANTAGE..BUT IT SEEMS YOU ARE BOTH BEAUTIFUL..AND TALENTED,SO KEEP WINNING UNLIKE DANICA PATRICK LOL,YOU ARE A TRUE DOUBLE THREAT...A TRUE HOTTIE WITH AWESOME TALENT,GOOD LUCK KIDDO
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9-08-2009 @ 12:24PM
papam11 said...
To hell with playing tennis. Why not just have a "who screams, grunts and groans the loudest" contest. It would save time and a bunch of running around. Are these girls playing tennis or having wild sex? It's soooo beneath the game and should be controlled.
Reply
9-09-2009 @ 4:00PM
RJ said...
Get your head out of the gutter.
The girls 17 years old and tiny. I'm sure the sounds she's making is a natural reaction from her putting all her might into a shot.
9-09-2009 @ 6:11PM
zemog44 said...
I agree with papam11 about the girls annoying "grunting". They grunt louder than the men and many men don't grunt at all! So why do the women? I remember about 15 years ago Steffi Graf (I think) was the only female tennis player who grunted and all the other female tennis players, as well as the writers and many fans of tennis, wanted her to stop grunting or ban her from playing tennis! Martina, Billie Jean King and Chris Evert never grunted and they played the best tennis ever! Even today Chris Evert can't understand why the girls feel they have to grunt. I've stopped watching female tennis (the grunts are totally annoying and take away from the matches) and that's too bad because I really used to enjoy watching both men and women tennis. Stop grunting women! P.S. Good luck to Melanie Oudin! I sincerely hope she wins!
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