Free Republic

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American teenager Melanie Oudin's spectacular run at the U.S. Open gathered momentum when she beat Russian 13th seed Nadia Petrova 1-6 7-6 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals on Monday. The 17-year-old has captured the imagination of the public by rolling over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, fourth seed Elena Dementieva and 2006 champion Maria Sharapova. On day eight of the hardcourt major, Oudin again whipped up the packed Arthur Ashe Stadium into a frenzy when she fought back from a set down to toss Petrova on to the Flushing Meadows scrapheap.

One shot from losing in the first round of qualifying, Melanie Oudin will now be playing in the second week at her first Wimbledon. It has been a surprising, thrilling run for Oudin, a determined 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., who still has many more friends and acquaintances in the junior ranks than in the main draw of the main event. But Oudin’s junior days are behind her now, as she proved beyond a reasonable doubt on Saturday by thinking and hustling her way to a 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2 victory over sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, who was ranked No....