Melanie Oudin loses to Romina Oprandi in the opening round – US Open 2011
Another American contestant crashed out of the US Open in the very first round on Monday, as Melanie Oudin fell to the Italian qualifier, Romina Oprandi, to end her voyage at the last Grand Slam tournament in a humiliating manner.
The contest was played on the Court 4 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Park, of Queens, New York City, United States, ending to the dismay of the local crowd. Oprandi registered a convincing victory against the American
in straight sets 6-0, 7-6(7), taking one hour and twenty eight minutes of play to advance to the second round of the US Open.
Oudin, who beat all the odds to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open in 2009, has merely won nine out of the total 38 matches she played in the running WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) season and continued with her poor form in Monday’s contest as well.
She failed to hold her serve in any of the games in the opener and suffered three straight serve breaks from the belligerent Italian to fall on the back foot right from the start.
“I was pretty tight, having trouble loosening up,” Oudin said, when asked about a first set that was over almost before either player broke a sweat. “Lately, that’s what’s been happening. Especially here. I try not to be nervous or let anything get to me.
But it’s hard being back here sometimes and not putting a lot of pressure on myself.”
The American registered two serve breaks in the contest but had to suffer five break point conversions from Oprandi to finish the match on the losing end. The Italian was off to an absolute flyer in the first set, breaking her bewildered opponent in every
single game to completely blow her away in the set. She went one up in the contest after pocketing the opening set at 6-0 and continued with her aggressive intent in the following set as well.
Oudin finally registered her first serve break in the second game of the next set but received a similar reply from her opponent in the very next game. Two serve breaks each were traded by both contestants before settling the scores to 6-6, imposing a tie
breaker round into play. The decider also went to the wire, with Oudin straining desperately to remain alive in the game but Oprandi eventually got the edge over the American to seal victory at 7-6(7).
Oprandi will play against the winner of the clash between Flavia Pennetta of Italy and Aravane Rezai of France in the second round of the tournament.
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