Melanie Oudin has a legitimate chance to make the top ten. Notice I didn’t say she would win grand slam titles or become #1. It is far, far to soon for anyone to make those predictions. So media people, just calm down! For now focus on one key component of this story: at 17, Oudin’s mental toughness is second only to Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, which explains why there is room for someone like Oudin in the top 10.
Women’s tennis is deeper in terms of physical talent then ever before. But height and power do not make for a healthy sport. The mental frailty exhibited by the top 30 is unprecedented in the history of tennis. Shevedova’s match against Jankovic was illustrative, because it quickly devolved into a chokefest that lasted for three sets (and Shevedova went down in flames in the next round). Jankovic, Ivanovic, Dementieva, Safina, Kuznetsova and all the other -ovas just cannot get it to together mentally. So many of the women players are just wandering around the sport aimlessly waiting for something to click because they’re talented. I’ve given up!
I have been waiting for someone like Odin for a while now – someone who would compete on every point, someone who can keept the ball in the court while the other player made errors in bunches. Someone like… Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario. You can’t tell me that there isn’t room for a Sanchez-Vicario in the top 10.
Oudin modeled herself after Justine Henin – see the washboard stomach and intensity on every point. Playing tennis at this level takes real work mentally. We may see Oudin inspire a new generation of young American women, the way the tiny spark plug, Michael Chang, did on the men’s side 20 years ago. There is nothing quite like competition and envy to spur young players on.
I don’t fault the media for making a huge deal about this. The Americans have been waiting for a long time for a successor to Davenport, Venus and Serena. It doesn’t mean the latter two are done (although Venus…). But the ten year gap between Serena and Oudin is striking. During that time the US has barely had another woman crack the top 100! Oudin’s dramatic entry onto the stage is another reminder that it isn’t always the cant-miss prospect who makes it big (anyone seen Donald Young lately?)
Passing Shots 
Posted on September 6, 2009
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