NEW YORK — When Melanie Oudin wakes up each morning these days, sharing a king-sized hotel bed with her mother, she’s basically your average teen visiting the big city.
Then the 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., gets on the court at the U.S. Open in those pink-and-yellow sneakers with the word “BELIEVE” stamped near the heel, and there is nothing ordinary at all about her.
No higher-ranked or more-accomplished opponent is too intimidating. No deficit is too daunting. Yes, the comeback kid did it again Monday.
Five points from a straight-set loss, Oudin kept plugging away with her perpetual-motion defense and pick-her-spots offense for a 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over 13th-seeded Nadia Petrova to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
“It’s kind of hard to explain how I’ve done it,” Oudin said. “It’s, like, now I know that I do belong here. This is what I want to do, and I can compete with these girls, no matter who I’m playing. I have a chance against anyone.”
The upset of Petrova follows comebacks from a set down against three-time major champion Maria Sharapova in the third round, and No. 4 Elena Dementieva — a two-time Grand Slam finalist and Beijing Olympics gold medalist — in the second.
“I don’t actually mean to lose the first set,” explained a smiling Oudin, 17-4 this season in three-setters. “I sometimes just start off slowly, I guess. Maybe I’m a little nervous.”
The first major quarterfinal of her nascent career will come against No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki, who knocked off two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).
Oudin is the story of the tournament, giving U.S. tennis fans hope there is someone coming up in the women’s game behind the Williams sisters.
“This is going to do a lot,” Oudin said. “I think it’s good for American tennis.”
Things are different for the U.S. men: None of the 18 who entered the tournament is left, after 55th-ranked John Isner of Tampa, Fla., lost to No. 10 Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. It’s the first time in the history of the event that began in 1881 no American men advanced to the quarterfinals.
“I knew that,” Isner said. “I wanted to keep it going.”
No. 1 Roger Federer extended his pursuit of a sixth consecutive U.S. Open title by beating No. 14 Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. Up next is a familiar foe: No. 12 Robin Soderling, who is 0-11 against Federer.
AT A GLANCE
A look at Monday’s play:
Men’s winners: Fourth round: No. 1 Roger Federer, No. 10 Fernando Verdasco and No. 12 Robin Soderling.
Men’s losers: No. 8 Nikolay Davydenko, No. 14 Tommy Robredo, No. 15 Radek Stepanek and John Isner.
Women’s winners: Fourth round: No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki, Kateryna Bondarenko, Melanie Oudin and Yanina Wickmayer.
Women’s losers: No. 6 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 13 Nadia Petrova, Gisela Dulko and Petra Kvitova.
Stat of the day: For the first time in the Open era, no American man has advanced to the quarterfinals.
Quote of the day: “There are no tears because I believed that I could do it. And it’s like now I know that I do belong here. This is what I want to do, and I can compete with these girls no matter who I’m playing. I have a chance against anyone.” — Oudin
Today’s TV: ESPN2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 5-9 p.m.; Tennis Channel, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Associated Press
