US Open Gallery: Women’s draw, Day 6
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The Women’s draw at the US Open has been packed full of surprises. With Jelena Jankovic, Elena Dementieva, Victoria Azarenka already back home and two more seeds departing today it’s going to be an interesting second week.
Mind you the real story is not so much about Sharapova’s loss as Melanie Oudin’s win (by the way, that’s pronounced ooh-DAN). The plucky 17 year-old who, you will recall, dispatched former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic from Wimbledon, is showing what mettle she has. To have beaten Elena Dementieva here at Flushing Meadows on Thursday and then to take out another top name requires some significant mental strength and the world No. 70 displayed oodles of it in her three set victory over Maria Sharapova.
Oudin came back from a set behind to seal the victory 36 64 75 in a match that lasted two minutes short of three hours. Although Sharapova served 21 double faults and was clearly not back to her best having recently returned from surgery on her shoulder, all credit to Oudin who had to dig in, not only to take the second set and level the match but to hold her nerve at matchpoint. Not to mention the hopes of the American spectators on Arthur Ashe that must have weighed heavy on her 5’6’ frame.
Sharapova was generous in defeat. Speaking after the match she said that Oudin “played really well. She has many weapons. She certainly held her ground. It wasn’t my best day, but I’ve got to hand it to her,” Sharapova said. “She has a great amount of potential considering, at her age, she is in the fourth round of the US Open, beat Elena and came out and played three sets against me and got the win. I certainly think she has a great future ahead of her.”
Commenting on her victory Oudin said, “I just kept fighting and fighting. I was determined I would never give up. My goal before the tournament started was to get into the world’s top 50 and if I keep playing like this I can get as high as anything”
Oudin will next play No.13 seed Nadia Petrova. Maybe the diminutive Oudin is developing a taste for Russians. As long as the sentiment of the felt-pen word, which she scribbled on her garish pink and yellow trainers, does not rub off, Oudin has a good chance of making it through the next round. That word is ”Fearless”.
Petra Kvitova was the other seed slayer on Saturday. She overcame world No.1 Dinara Safina 64 26 76(5). Safina had three match points that world No.73 Kvitova, saved before wrapping up the match in the final set tiebreak.
Safina’s assessment of her game was honest as always, “It’s disappointing. Very disappointing. I came back in the second set winning six games in a row, playing so well, so solid. And in the third set I came back again and had everything in my hands. She definitely played well. I still feel I let it go.”
Elsewhere the No.6 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Shahar Peer 75 61; No.9 seed Caroline Wozniacki, beat Sorana Cirstea, 63 62.
Gisela Dulko defeated Yaroslava Shvedova 63 64; Yanina Wickmayer beat Sara Errani 63 64.
Kateryna Bondarenko defeated Anastasia Rodionova, 76(4) 64.
Nadia Petrova beat Zheng Jie 64 61. Guess that straight sets victory gives Petrova plenty of time to do some serious analysis of Oudin’s game ahead of their forthcoming match. Bring it on!
