Roddick slumps out, Oudin keeps the dream alive

Slides
Photos

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-06 15:30

NEW YORK - Flushing Meadows shook with an explosion of deafening roars on Saturday as American sensations John Isner and Melanie Oudin sent former champions Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova spinning out of the U.S. Open.

Roddick slumps out, Oudin keeps the dream alive

Andy Roddick (L) of the U.S. meets compatriot John Isner at the net after their match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, September 5, 2009. Isner won in five sets.[Agencies]

Big-serving Roddick came face-to-face with a 2.06-meter-tall (6-foot-9) player he had mentored up the ranks and as a way of thanks Isner boomed in 38 aces to trample the fifth seed 7-6 6-3 3-6 5-7 7-6.

Melanie Oudin (L) of the U.S. is congratulated by Maria Sharapova of Russia after Oudin won the match at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York September 5, 2009. [Agencies]

"I'm happy for him. I'm mad that obviously it came at my expense," summed up Roddick who had hopes of going all the way this year following his runner-up finish at Wimbledon.

While world number 55 Isner provided the biggest shock of the men's draw, Oudin followed up her win over world number four Elena Dementieva by thumping another Russian.

The 17-year-old Oudin had the honour of ringing the opening bell at the NASDAQ exchange earlier this week and her stock rose even higher on Saturday as she carved out a heart-pounding 3-6 6-4 7-5 third-round win over 29th seed Sharapova.

As some 23,000 fans hollered inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, those who could not cram into centre court watched transfixed on the giant TV screen in the main fountain plaza.

When Oudin sealed the three-hour triumph by belting a forehand winner, spectators inside and outside the arena leapt to their feet to give her a standing ovation.

Oudin simply looked dazed as she dropped her racket before raising her weary arms to acknowledge the cheers.

"I just kept fighting as hard as I could. I can't believe it," the 70th-ranked Oudin gasped in a courtside interview as she tried to blink back tears.

"I just had a blast playing there today," added Oudin, who will aim to bump another Russian, Nadia Petrova, in the last 16.

A misfiring Sharapova turned into her own worst enemy as she slammed down a jaw-dropping 21 double faults, handing her opponent more than five games in free points.

As the women's field continued to be decimated, Isner finally burst the bubble in the men's draw as until his win over Roddick, it looked as if all 16 top seeds could reach the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time.

Earlier, five-times defending champion Roger Federer and world number four Novak Djokovic led a parade of seeds -- Nikolay Davydenko (8), Fernando Verdasco (10), Robin Soderling (12) and Radek Stepanek (15) -- into the second week of the hardcourt major.

Djokovic rubbed his eyes in disbelief as he was almost pulled apart by a player who had never won a tour match before this week. American Jessie Witten valiantly battled for almost 3-1/2 hours before succumbing 6-7 6-3 7-6 6-4.

"I have never seen him play, and then suddenly he comes up with those shots from the baseline and then returns. It was unbelievable," said the Serbian fourth seed.

Federer, seeking a 16th major here, came into the match with 13 successive wins against Lleyton Hewitt but had to snap himself out of a lull to triumph 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-4.

Federer and Hewitt are two of just three fathers ranked in world's top 50 and it was the Swiss who was caught napping in the opening set, leading John McEnroe to quip: "Looks like he slept in the same room as the (six-week-old) twins last night."

Previous page 1 2 Next Page