As summer’s end grows nearer with every passing day, the tennis world is brought to American soil for the grueling US Olympus Series. The finale, of course, is the US Open, in Flushing Meadows, New York.  While the Olympus Series is well underway in various locations across the country, many tennis spectators begin to wonder: who will it be this year?

John Isner in last year's US Open.

The U.S. Open has always been known as the tournament where dreams come true, where one player can upset an entire bracket of far more experienced opponents. It is referred to by some as simply “The Open”, for it is set wide open, for the spoiler, the sleeper to take the world by surprise.

On the women’s side in last year’s US Open, Melanie Oudin shocked the world with her memorable performance. She cruised through a “warmup” of a first round match before squaring off with Russian superstar Elena Dementieva, the fourth ranked player in the world at the time. After three demanding sets lasting nearly three hours of play, Oudin emerged victorious. This was the turning point in the young American’s career. People now knew that Melanie came to New York to win. The streak continued as she pushed past former US Open Champion Maria Sharapova in three sets as well. Critics, announcers, coaches, and fans were now tuned in to the “Oudin Show”. Everybody was eager to see this modern day history slowly unfolding in front of their eyes. The next round Melanie rallied from a set down to overcome power hitting Nadia Petrova in three sets. The unprecedented run still had life. Oudin’s streak of sharp play was soon broken by Caroline Wozniacki, an up and coming Dane, in a heartbreaking quarterfinal. The 2009 US Open introduced a new power in American tennis to the world. Not out of the ordinary for Flushing Meadows. Read More→