Marietta's Oudin advances to U.S. Open quarterfinals

By STEVE PRATT

For the AJC

Flushing Meadows, N.Y. – You could say it all started five years ago when coach Brian de Villiers first brought Melanie Oudin to New York. You could say that's when Oudin's U.S. Open dreams began.

An hour after Oudin pulled off another three-set shocker by beating a seeded Russian player for the third consecutive time – No. 13 seed Nadia Petrova was the fourth-round victim, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 – de Villiers recalled that day when a 12-year-old Oudin vowed to return.

"A group of us came up here and walked the grounds, and she said I'm going to be here someday," said de Villiers, the director of tennis at the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross. "I sold her the dream when she was 12. I told her she would have to dream big, and that's exactly what this child is doing."

The Oudin at the Open Show rolls on Wednesday in the quarterfinals when the 17-year-old from Marietta faces 9th seed Caroline Wozniacki. Oudin appeared Tuesday morning on ABC's "Good Morning America."

While Oudin played before more than 80,000 in New York City, a home crowd of nearly 80 gathered at the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross to cheer her on.

“That last point, the whole room was clapping to pump her up,” said RCST spokeswoman Anne Keeton. “Everybody was just glued to their seats.”

Revelers at the court where Oudin trains watched on 10 TVs and a huge projector screen while enjoying a hot dog and hamburger buffet.

But Oudin was clearly the main course, Keeton said.

“Imagine that poise, that confidence, that tenacity ... at age 17,” Keeton said. “We’ll definitely have another party,” when Oudin plays in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

On Labor Day in front of a capacity crowd and millions more watching on national television, Oudin started slowly and then roared back, earning some serious momentum in the first game of the third set by breaking Petrova's serve after a grueling game that included five deuce points.

The other turning point came in the second set with Petrova leading 4-3, 40-15. Oudin saved one game point and then got it to deuce with another "unbelievable winner" down the line, according to Petrova.

"Winning that game kind of gave her a second breath," Petrova said. "She realized, OK, I'm back in the game. And probably after winning previous matches pretty much in the same way, she thought, you know, I can do it again."

Taking advantage of 22 third-set unforced errors by Petrova, Oudin played the Comeback Kid role again, earning a spot in the world's top 45 with the victory. Oudin has won six consecutive matches in Grand Slams after dropping the first set. In 21 three-set matches this year, Oudin has won 17.

"I don't actually mean to lose the first set," Oudin said. "It's just sometimes I start slowly, I guess. Maybe I'm a little bit nervous. Today my timing just wasn't there in the first set. My mind-set going into the second was different. I totally forgot about the first. I was like, 'All right. This is a new set.' I'm going to start differently and forget about the first one and just start off like it's a new match, and I started playing better."

Oudin was asked about her mental toughness after the match. "I think it's just mentally I'm staying in there with them the whole time, and not giving up at all. If they're going to beat me, they're going to have to beat me, because I'm not going anywhere."

Added Petrova: "She's just so excited after winning those matches. She's on a roll, you know. And she has nothing to lose. The crowd is totally behind her. She's just having a blast out there."

Oudin's agent, Sam Duvall, said his cellphone has been ringing ever since Oudin first started her Open run. "I think Melanie will have no problem endorsing a lot of different products – she's like the girl next door," said Duvall, who also represents former Georgia All-American John Isner. "People relate to both Melanie and John. They are just such real and genuine people."

Selling the dream. It's something de Villiers did so well five years ago.

"The biggest problem with American tennis is they are not sold the dream," de Villiers reiterated Monday. "You have to dream big. People are afraid to put in the time and the work and to dream big."

The U.S. Open dream lives for Melanie Oudin.