US Open Upsets - Women’s Title is Up for Grabs

US Open title there for the taking as Melanie Oudin continues upset trend

New York , USA – That the women’s game is in complete disarray is old news. It fell into this messy state when Justine Henin retired, ranked world No.1 and miles ahead of the rest of the field on points. The void she left has seen countless starlets – from Jelena Jankovic and more – try to step up but fail in turn to sustain anything viable.

And I have to say this isn’t the worst thing to have happened to the WTA – not Henin leaving! Gosh, that was so horribly unexpected I am still trying to deal with it. She was the only player that could give the Williams’ sisters a real run for their money, especially on the Grand Slam stage. What I am referring to is upsets: they are arguably the most thrilling aspect in the game.

The 2009 Women’s US Open has been underscored by so many in the early rounds, especially of the WTA Premium players that it only seems fit to stop and take a look at their upsets and the fresh young things that has shown guts and heart to mastermind what, on paper, seemingly looked impossible.

Already we have seen the likes of Sybille Bammer (No.28 seed) and Alisa Kleybanova (No. 27 seed) exit in the first round. Their upsets did not register high on the Richter scale though for different reasons.

The one first round upset that really sent seismic shockwaves (although it really shouldn’t have, as there was a real possibility that it would happen) was Kateryna Bondarenko beating Ana Ivanovic (No.11 seed). Bondarenko was coming off a giant-kill at the Rogers Cup where she beat Venus Williams in the second round so her upset win over Ivanovic didn’t really come out of nowhere. It should have been expected.

That the 14 th seed Marion Bartoli would be ousted in the second round, was also a real possibility as she came up against comeback kid Kim Clijsters – a former world No.1 player and US Open champion. Their match was a hard fought battle an Clijsters really came up with the goods towards the end to close out the match.

Agnieszka Radwasnska the No.12 seed was a surprise early exit when she was beaten by Maria Kirilenko, who really hadn’t done anything exciting this season or anything that would point to her masterminding such a victory.

American Vania King not to be outdone took out outside favourite Samantha Stosur, the 15 th seed, in the second round in straight sets. King was not a player many thought would see into the third round of the US Open. Similar could be said of Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada who has flattered to deceive this season but still managed to oust Amelie Mauresmo, the 17 th seed, convincingly 6-4, 6-0.

But perhaps the biggest upset of the US Open and the one to surely steal headlines today is that of Melanie Oudin taking out the No.4 seed Elena Dementieva – a player many believed had a real shot at the title. Everyone was on the Dementieva bandwagon at the start of the tournament, sipping the Kool-Aid. But the American teenager put paid on that notion, coming almost out of nowhere and playing with such heart and feistiness to earn the hard fought, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Makes you wonder who is next to fall at the US Open.