Melanie Oudin’s Cinderella story continues at the 2009 US Open. The 17-year-old Georgia native’s incredible run is still going strong, as Oudin advanced to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal with a 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-3 come-from-behind win over No. 13 seed Nadia Petrova.
On her third match point, Oudin hit a screaming forehand crosscourt winner that landed out of Petrova’s reach. The second the ball hit the open court, she raised her arms and dropped her racket, with the entire crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium on its feet and erupting in celebration. But the cheers were not only limited to the main show court.
Fans all across the grounds who were listening to their portable American Express radios began cheering for Oudin when they heard she had won match point. Even the crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium broke out in celebration midway through the match between Petra Kvitova and Yanina Wickmayer.
After taking down three straight Russian opponents, Oudin’s next opponent will be the winner between Caroline Wozniacki and another Russian, Svetlana Kuznetsova.
“Now I know that I do belong here,” Oudin said of her continued success. “I can compete with these girls no matter who I'm playing. I have a chance against anyone.
“Coming into the tournament, I did believe that I could compete with these girls, but it was just figuring out a way to win in these tough matches and these pressure situations actually coming through and winning. So now, even if I get a set down, I still believe in myself and my game. I know that if I fight as hard as I can, do the best I can, hopefully I can do it.”
Petrova dominated through the beginning stages of the match, using her power baseline game to stun the young American. An opening service break was the only time Petrova dropped a game in the first set. But it wasn’t until the second set that her game started to fall apart, and she just could not keep the ball in play.
Petrova hit a staggering 59 unforced errors on the match, 25 of which came in the second set, and another 22 in the third. Oudin took a 3-1 lead in the second before Petrova broke back and held for 3-3. Two more breaks of serve were traded before a tiebreaker would decide the set.
Oudin took a quick 5-0 lead in the breaker, capitalizing on the Russian’s errors. A Petrova forehand that sailed wide gave the American the set.
Petrova said the toughest challenge Oudin posed was her movement and ability to run down every shot no matter what Petrova did.
“It's really difficult, because I felt like I had to come up with a good shot, and I was taking my chances,” Petrova said. “I was trying to put pressure on her by going to the net. But I was playing more high‑risk tennis than she did. But, I mean, I'm giving her big credit by running all over the court, getting all those shots back.”
In her two previous matches against Sharapova and Dementieva, Oudin has done well coming back to win after losing the first set. But being in a pressure situation and staying strong mentally is something she handles well.
“I've been in that situation many times of losing the first set and being able to come back and win,” Oudin said. “I do well with forgetting about the first set and starting over like it's a totally new match. I start off really well in every third set I played because I believe in myself so much after I win a second. I have the momentum going, and I know I can win. That's what I think out there, and when I do that, I start playing better and better.”
After Oudin had a 40-0 lead in the opening game of the third set on Petrova’s serve, Petrova fought back, fending off six game points before Oudin hit a winning lob that caught the back line. From then on, it all went in Oudin’s direction. Petrova continued to struggle with her service game, double faulting to give Oudin a 3-2 lead that she would run away with.
Petrova served to stay in the match at 5-3, saving two match points. But on Oudin’s third match point, she fired a solid crosscourt forehand, a shot that she relied on to win so many rallies in the match, and closed it out.
Oudin has had a phenomenal season in 2009. At this time last year, she was ranked No. 221 and needed a wild card just to get into the main draw at the US Open, where she lost in the first round. This year, her place in the quarterfinals ensures that she will break the top 45.
As fans have watched her advance round after round here in Flushing Meadows, they are starting to believe there is a lot of promise in the future for American women’s tennis, beyond Venus and Serena Williams. So the question still remains. How far can she go at the US Open? One thing is for sure, no one has more heart and belief than Oudin. And the possibilities for her are endless.
