U.S. Open star Oudin now needs security

By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It appears Marietta tennis star Melanie Oudin is a victim of her own unlikely success.

Enlarge photo

AP Melanie Oudin of the United States reacts during her match against Nadia Petrova of Russia at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

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The U.S. Open quarterfinalist was booted from her Times Square hotel because her reservation was up, Sports Business Journal is reporting. Apparently the 17-year-old didn't expect to be staying in New York so long.

Her agent, BEST Tennis President John Tobias, through the company's travel agent, Sport Travel, quickly got her into the Intercontinental. "Obviously, we will not be sending any of our players back to that hotel,” Tobias told the Sports Business Journal.

On top of that,  she's been forced to use security guards to navigate hordes of autograph-seekers on her way to the practice courts, the Associated Press reported. Crowds gather in the lobby of her hotel. A photo op in Times Square  got rowdy. The three major networks all sent crews to interview her after her upset win Monday over Nadia Petrova.

Even her twin sister may be putting pressure on her.

"Right now, I think she'll play Serena [Williams] in the finals," Katherine Oudin said, "and we're not going anywhere until that happens."

Oudin plays Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki on Wednesday night. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.