Melanie Oudin looks to establish herself on tour
Melanie Oudin looks to establish herself on tour
Melanie Oudin looks to establish herself on tour
After her surprising run to the fourth round of Wimbledon, Melanie Oudin is hoping to establish herself as a regular contender on the women’s tour.
“I’m very proud of myself how I did here,” the 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., said Monday after losing 6-4, 7-5 to 11th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska. “I think it’s just like another step that I’m taking. Now I know that I can play with these girls and this is what I want to do, and this is what I want to be.”
Oudin, who faced two match points in her first-round Wimbledon qualifying match, had lost both of her previous Grand Slam main draw matches.
Her surprise Wimbledon showing included a 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 upset of sixth-ranked Jelena Jankovic in the third round.
Oudin started 2008 with the goal of breaking into the top 100. She’s now assured of that: the WTA Tour projects her ranking will move from No. 124 to No. 70 after Wimbledon.
Oudin became the youngest American since 17-year-old Jennifer Capriati, who reached the 1993 quarterfinals, to make it to the fourth round at Wimbledon.
She was also the youngest American to reach a Grand Slam fourth-round since Serena Williams, as a 17-year-old, won the 1999 U.S. Open.
And she joined Venus and Serena Williams as the only American teens to reach Wimbledon’s fourth round since 18-year-old Alexandra Stevenson got to the semis in 1999.
“I’m still the same person, you know (that I was) coming into the tournament,” Oudin said. “I think I’ve improved this week. I think I’ve gotten better as a player. But I just look forward to keep going.”
Oudin’s Wimbledon run has effectively ended her junior career. She’s eligible to play junior tournaments through her 18th year, but her coach, Brian de Villiers, said that would be “pointless.”
For now, De Villiers said Oudin will continue to test herself on the WTA Tour during this summer’s s U.S. hard court circuit.
“She has a very sensible head on her shoulder,” de Villiers said. “This will not go to her head.”
Oudin’s mother, Leslie, and father, John, flew to London over the weekend to watch their daughter’s fourth-round match.
The parents didn’t expect their daughter to experience such quick success. But they said she’s been dreaming of becoming No. 1 since she was 9 years old.
“She’s worked hard and I’m so glad that things are paying off for her,” Leslie Oudin said. “It’s been a thrill to see the progress and that she’s enjoying it. I’m really surprised because I didn’t really expect this until, maybe, next year.”
Oudin is one of three sisters. Her twin, Katherine, hopes to play collegiate tennis, but has no interest in playing professionally. And there’s younger sister Christina, 11.
Article from Reuters
