Federer Stays Motivated as Ever

NEW YORK – It can’t be easy to be Roger Federer some days. Not because he occasionally has to help his wife Mirka change the diapers of their new twin girls, but because on many days when he goes to work, he has to confront an opponent he’s beaten time and time again. MORE

Do You Believe?

This time it won’t happen. You can draw on that ol’ the magic just so many times. Lightning just isn’t inclined to strike in the same spot twice (especially if it’s in the world’s biggest tennis palace).  The darling of our late summer daze is at last down and on the brink. Melanie Oudin — once [...]

I’m a Believer

Giant Killer Melanie Oudin Shares Her Thoughts On Reaching the USO Quarters and How She’s Handling Her Sudden Fame

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Melanie Oudin spoke to the press corps following her 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-3 triumph over Nadia Petrova – her third straight win over a Russian in which she fought back from a one-set deficit.

‘It’s All Surreal’

Inside Tennis Talks With Leslie Oudin

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — IT caught up with Melanie Oudin’s mother, Leslie, just moments after her 17-year-old daughter dispatched Russian Nadia Petrova 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-3 to advance to her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.

A Week to Remember

Our Top 25 Week 1 Stories From the U.S. Open

1. MELANIE MAGIC: Little Mo — that would be little Melanie Oudin, not Ms. Connolly — continues her sweep through Euro wonders, astounding the tennis nation as she downs a tournament favorite, No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva, and the feared Maria Sharapova. Just 17 and 5-foot-6, this Georgia Peach with a great forehand and return [...]

Like Two Blondes Passing in the Night

Oudin the Fighter…A-Rod’s Teetering Ladder...Quotebook

CHANGE OF VENUE: World No. 1 Dinara Safina was less than pleased when her match, scheduled for Ashe Stadium, was moved to Armstrong Stadium.  Said the Russian, who lost to Petra Kvitova, “I think it’s very unfair to choose [the] best player in the world, to put on Armstrong.  I don’t think it’s a fair [...]

A Mother of a Win

Clijsters Finds Herself in USO Quarters After Dispatching Williams In 'Weird' Affair

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Fifty minutes into the highly anticipated Venus Williams vs. Kim Clijsters showdown on Sunday, their 11th meeting dating back to 2001, no one could quite come to grips with what they were seeing.  The scoreboard just looked wrong.  There had to be some explanation.  Had there been some technical glitch?  Or [...]

A Magnet for Caffeinated Overachievers

Venus' Power Play...A Pepto-Free Night…Quotebook

QUESTION OF THE DAY: “Do you know what Venus Williams has in common with Cleopatra?” – A reporter to Venus Williams, who, along with the Egyptian queen made Oprah magazine’s list of the most powerful women. MIDNIGHT SNACK OF CHAMPIONS?: Bob Bryan sent the following critical info via Twitter: “Just ate a chicken/rice ball from [...]

Dawg Day Afternoon

Georgia's Oudin, Isner Stun Sharapova, Roddick; Safina, Blake, Querrey Gone Too in Wild Day

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – Not an extremely promising junior, Georgia’s John Isner chose the college route, became an all American, graduated and needed a good two years to work out the kinds in his awkward game. More »

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

American Sweetheart Oudin, En Route to Oz, Scores Biggest Breakout Win in Years

The little kid blasts yet another clean forehand winner to break her mighty foe to go up 4-3 in the decisive third set. Twenty-thousand-plus New Yorkers rise, daring to imagine that, at last, a great new face is emerging. And this wannabe is no eponymous 6-foot-1 “ova.” You know the type. The pleasant-enough super-girl from [...]