She's toppled one big name after another at the U.S. Open, and she's only 17 years old. She's battled back from losing early sets and has shown the intelligence, strength and fortitude to make improbably comebacks, continuing the most unlikely story of this whole tournament. In doing so, she's become the darling of the tennis world, and has the entire country rooting for her.
In short, Melanie Oudin is the best story in sports.
She's been the little tennis player that could; defeating Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, and Nadia Petrova in the last three matches. And through it all, the girl from Georgia has kept fans riveted with her outstanding play, her Cinderella run, and a personality that goes from fiery during the match to bubbly after each win.
In a U.S. Open where the big name, seeded players are dropping like flies, Oudin has been the spark that has kept fans coming. And why not: here is a player who is charismatic, determined, and - frankly - a good tennis player. The fact that she's doing all of this despite all the odds against it just makes her story even more special.
Sports fans are suckers for underdogs. We cheered when Y.E. Yang defeated Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship. We enjoyed seeing the New York Giants put an end to the New England Patriots' perfect season in the Super Bowl. But Oudin is different; watching her play pulls you in more than anything else ever could. She's just a 17-year-old girl out there by herself, playing her heart out, with no one to rely on but herself. You can see her emotions and feel her determination. You watch in anticipation each time the ball is served, and get caught up in her reaction to every point. And when she finally does win the match, and explodes into a huge smile, you can't help but smile with her.
There's an innocence about Oudin that is making people connect with her. She's not a big name, doesn't have large-scale endorsements, and was virtually unknown until recently. She smiles and cheers when she wins, even acting shocked afterward while searching for words to describe her improbable run. When she says to the fans "thank you so much for cheering for me!" you know how much all of this means to her. She's just your average teenage girl who happens to be beating the best tennis players in the world, and it's like rooting for your sister or your daughter every time she takes the court.
She's on a roll, and fans are finding themselves rolling along with her.
Because in Melanie Oudin, fans are seeing all of the great things that sports can bring. There are many underdog stories out there, but only the best underdogs can make people so emotionally invested. Oudin's run is reminding us of the joy of watching an unknown succeed on talent, will and moxie, despite overwhelming odds. We can relate to her. We're inspired by the heart she has shown and the excitement she's displayed along with it.
We watch sports in order to see people succeed because of hard work and perseverance. It shows us that sometimes heart and willpower can triumph in the face of a seemingly impossible situation. Watching this excited young talent Oudin appreciate the significance of her success makes you pull for her even more.
Oudin is now in the quarterfinals, and there will be plenty of challenges ahead if she wants to continue her storybook run through the U.S. Open. There will be tougher, more seasoned opponents who won't want to lose to a 17-year-old, and the road will only be harder from here on out. But still, you can't help but feel like Oudin could pull it off, even if all logic says it won't happen. That's the beauty of her success: Watching Oudin's run, it makes you believe that anything is possible.
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