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Tennis' New All-American Sweetheart
Snider, 17, watched Saturday’s match against Sharapova at the Oudin family’s home. “It’s a surreal experience,” he said.
Rallying particularly enthusiastically for Oudin are members of Racquet Club of the South in nearby Norcross, where she has trained since she was a kid. For her last two matches, nearly 80 people gathered to watch her play in the tennis club’s restaurant.
“She is totally lovely, and she’s just one of the gang,” said Ann Keeton, player liaison at the club. “She practices with the other kids, she eats in the grill with the other kids.” And she’s also as humble as she seems on television: When water leaked on their indoor courts about a month ago, Oudin spent hours squeegeeing them.
“The sense you get of her at the end of a match, when they’re interviewing her—her utter delight with what’s happening—that’s so who she is.”
“The sense you get of her at the end of a match, when they’re interviewing her—her utter delight with what’s happening—that’s so who she is,” says Keeton. “She’s down to earth and warm. She’s the darling of the U.S. Open for very legitimate reasons.”
For American women’s tennis, Oudin’s arrival has been a long time coming. Not since the 1970s, when Chris Evert rose to the top of the pro-tennis scene, has this country seen such a girl-next-door-style sweetheart in the sport, said Michelle Beadle. “From Day 1, I’ve never heard the Williams sisters referred to as sweethearts,” she added. While Jennifer Capriati briefly filled that role in the 1990s, she fell from grace after being arrested for shoplifting and marijuana possession.
More important, however, the country hasn’t seen a player with talent as promising as Oudin’s in women’s tennis since the Williams sisters. Tennis fans nationwide hope she will continue to fill the vast void between Venus and Serena—who continue to stand at the top of the tennis world—and the rest of American female players.
Meanwhile, back in Marietta, the excitement has only been building. At Katherine Oudin’s private high school, The Walker School, teachers have been brushing aside lesson plans to broadcast Melanie Oudin’s matches. During football practice on Monday, which coincided with the end of Oudin’s match against Petrova, the team’s coach would call out the score every five minutes, said senior Alex Moyer, 17. Locals’ Facebook status messages cheer “Mel” on.
On Wednesday, Oudin faces yet another high-ranking opponent, this time Danish No. 9 seed Caroline Wozniacki. Americans will be rooting for Oudin. Yet even if she doesn’t win—at the close of a summer of polarizing battles over back-to-school speeches and health-care debates—Oudin has provided the country with a burst of sunshine.
Xtra Insight: Check out The Daily Beast's latest U.S. Open photos and reports.
Danielle Friedman has worked as a nonfiction book editor for Hudson Street Press and Plume, two imprints of Penguin Group. Her writing has been published in the Miami Herald, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and on CNN.com. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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Danielle Friedman has worked as a nonfiction book editor for Hudson Street Press and Plume, two imprints of Penguin Group. Her writing has been published in the Miami Herald, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and on CNN.com. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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Danielle Friedman has worked as a nonfiction book editor for Hudson Street Press and Plume, two imprints of Penguin Group. Her writing has been published in the Miami Herald, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and on CNN.com. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
The C-Section Backlash
Danielle Friedman has worked as a nonfiction book editor for Hudson Street Press and Plume, two imprints of Penguin Group. Her writing has been published in the Miami Herald, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and on CNN.com. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
rlwesty
Hmmm! A tennis player coming out of an upper-middle class lily white suburb? I'm shocked, shocked. And, of course, the WIlliams sisters are not "the girl next door." For that to happen, you'd have to live in one of *those* neighborhoods.
timeflies
"Still, Marietta hasn't churned out too many professional athletes."
Really? Watch much tennis? Pssst, on the men's side is Robby Ginepri. Beyond that, a baker's dozen pro athletes from various sports call Marietta home.
And above poster obviously knows little about metro Atlanta = a majority black, upper middle class black area with an enormous number of tennis players of all races. Nothing "lily white" about it.
newroc
Great information on an up and coming tennis star! I loved the personal touch of the writer and the "star" growing up in the same town. I enjoy watching Oudin play, and I'm so happy to hear from her friends that she is down to earth. I can't imagine Serena squeegeeiing a tennis court!
reggiereg
I can't tell you how sick I get of hearing these tag-lines "All-American" and "sweetheart" assigned to certain segments of our society. Please find an article where the reigning US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon singles champion, Serena Williams is described as "All-American". Please get a life.
jlask001
What a perfect articulation of this lovely story! It hit at the heart of America's enthusiasm for this rising star!
gunapie
I am for Marietta, Ga too. This is the biggest thing to happen here since the construction of the Big Chicken resturant or Sherman's march througt town. Did mention we built the Enola Gay? Dad put on the wings.
gunapie
Oh, I forgot to mention, Marietta, Cobb County is also the place that put sitckers in the school biology books roughly stating that Darwin was FUCKED UP, because the Earth is only 6,000 years old - go read you BIBLE.
reggiereg
I think you throw the term "All-American" too much. It's deeply offensive to those of us not born in the South/Midwest, white, and blueish eyes/blonde hair. The reigning U.S Open/Wimbledon/Australian Open champion (Serena Williams) is also from the United States. Find an article for me that describes her as "All-American".
penscott
You left out one of the Russians she beat.
The first was Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
masterblaster
First of all, there have been at least two "sweethearts" since Chris Evert--I think of Tracy Austin and Andrea Yeager just off the top of my head, and, of course, this is only if your definition of "sweetheart" means country-club girl, preferably with blond hair..
Also, if your writer is going to bring up the fact that the Williams sisters aren't generally thought of as "sweethearts" by many in the tennis community, then you might want to investigate why, rather than assert it as if it were their fault.
MsMeena
The condescending overtone and unbalanced reporting notwithstanding, is this supposed to be a sports story or a debutante announcement? It's a shame that Friedman used the phenomenal Williams sisters as foils to endear Oudin to readers: it will take a while before I'll be able to watch her play without thinking of Scarlett O'Hara.
jong345
"I've never heard the Williams sisters referred to as sweethearts."
I don't want to take anything away from this underdog story, but the only reason Serena isn't considered a sweetheart is her voluptuous body and black skin. Anyone who's heard her or her sister Venus talk can attest that they have always had an aw-shucks quality about them that's definitely all-American.
Again, I don't want to take anything away from this great story of a young girl achieving her goals, but that Beadle quote was pretty ridiculous. There's a reason no one calls James Blake the boy-next-door either, even though every girl I know thinks he's adorable. I'm just calling a spade a spade, cuz that's how I sees em.
Dan047
"For American women's tennis, Oudin's arrival has been a long time coming. Not since the 1970s, when Chris Evert rose to the top of the pro-tennis scene, has this country seen such a girl-next-door-style sweetheart in the sport."
I have to concur with the readers above. That statement is the most outrageous or down right ignorant statement I have heard about American Tennis. The Williams sister are as All-American and Apple Pie as you can get. And to insinuate that we've been waiting since Chris Evert is absolutely insulting.
I suggest Danielle Friedman do a little more research on her topics before she starts gushing on the latest hype.
I agree, Melanie Oudin has accomplished no small feat. And for that I whole-heartedly congratulate her and will be cheering her on tonight. But please, let's not put her in the same league as the Williams' sisters. She's got a long ways to go to be in that league!
darwinism
we can elect a black man president, but not a black sister(s) as america's sweetheart.
pclayton
What exactly is the definition of "all-American"? Does it mean "blond hair, blue eyes and freckles"? Does it mean "fierce competitor"? Does it mean "came up through the ranks"? It's apparent that the term is used in a complimentary way in this article; however, seeing as most American athletes are people of color (although maybe not yet in tennis, despite Arthur Ashe Stadium) the term is antiquated and perhaps even a little racist. Please, spare us the mom and apple pie stuff.
I really enjoyed watching Melanie play the game and hope she will be around for a long time. What I find most admirable about her is not that she comes from an upper middle-class family that can afford to put their kids in private schools, hire good coaches and live in a town that cranks out athletes, but that she is only17 years old and has the dedication, confidence, and spirit to get so far and compete with the best. Thankfully Melanie has the degree of support one needs to excel. She has set a great example for female teenagers and I wish her much success!
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