Now, I don’t follow tennis at all, much less keep track of player standings, but when the 70th-ranked player beats the 13th-ranked one (Nadia Petrova), even I take notice and want to see what all the fuss is about.
So who is this new star that’s the talk of the US Open? Melanie Oudin, 17, of Marietta, Georgia! Not only has she beat Petrova, but Russian stars Elena Dementieva (ranked no. 4) and Maria Sharapova (ranked no. 29) as well. Oudin’s win over Petrova yesterday makes her the youngest American to make the quarterfinals since Serena Williams in 1999, which is quite the title to hold.
Those that know Oudin are not only estatic about her current standing, they can’t stop gushing about how grounded and lovely she is. They also commend her on how quiet she is on the court, never once showing she is upset if things don’t swing her way. Mental toughness? Check!
Melanie Oudin, I hope you go far.
nicole!
Photo courtesy of the Huffington Post.
