Melanie’s US Open Similar to Chris in 1971
Watching Melanie Oudin’s run at this year’s US Open reminds me so much of Chris Evert’s 1971 march through the draw. While their playing styles are different, their approach to each match is very similar. It’s based on optimism, positive thinking and focus. The skills are there, the crowd is behind them and the stars – at least so far – have aligned.
Frequently I have said winning in tennis requires the integration of your head, heart and guts. Melanie Oudin is showing us all of that and more. In her case, you can add her feet to that mix. What she lacks in size (compared to some of the other top players), she more than makes up with great footwork. She even has “believe” printed on her shoes and her results show us she is a believer.
We first saw Melanie at the Advanta WTT Smash Hits event last year in Kennesaw, Ga. (just outside of Atlanta). This is an annual fund raiser we have done for 17 years to raise money and awareness for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Melanie played women’s singles for Elton John’s team and took a set off the great Martina Navratilova. We have taken notice, she‘s still in the tournament and we will see a lot more of her in the future. She is a breath of fresh air.
Melanie’s story is creating excitement and I hope we all will begin talking about what is going right instead of what is not at this year’s US Open. Yes, there are no American men left in the singles draw. It might be disappointing but it is not unexpected. Tennis is now a global sport and the power – as it will often do – has shifted to other nations. Building champions takes time – usually 10 years and hitting 10,000 balls.
John Isner (it’s pronounced is-NER not EYEs-ner) is a good part of the American story. He is a work in progress and he is moving forward. It is unfortunate for Americans that John’s big win came over Andy Roddick, but looking at the positive, he now knows he is capable of defeating the top players and that is a step in the right direction.
Being a tennis player is a demanding career. These young men and women are battling travel, fatigue and expected to be “on their game” every time they step on the court. Becoming a champion is a process. It takes time, hard work and commitment. And, optimism, positive thinking and focus help as well.