American tennis has a new star emerging on the courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Seventeen year-old qualifier Melanie Oudin has reached the fourth round at Wimbledon after stunning sixth seed Jelena Jankovic on Saturday.
Oudin, a rising junior star from Marietta, Georgia, outlasted Jankovic, who was feeling ill throughout the match, in three sets 6-7(8), 7-5, 6-2.
“I just went out there today and I did my best,” Oudin said afterward. “It ended up being good enough today, so I’m thrilled.”
Jankovic was not the only top player to fall on Saturday at the Championships. Recent French Open champion and fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova also found herself ousted from the singles main draw in straight sets 6-2, 7-5.
Kuznetsova’s vanquisher was German teenager Sabine Lisicki. The nineteen year-old first rose to prominence on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour by winning Charleston’s Family Circle Cup in April.
Lisicki, who was born in Troisdorf, trains at the IMG Bollettieri Academy in Brandenton, Florida.
I am sorry that Jelena was feeling ill, but it adds some spice to see new players advamcing. I guess I am excited for her as well since she is a southern girl.