Wozniacki ends Oudin hopes

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:47

American 17-year-old Oudin, ranked 70th in the world, had grabbed all the headlines in the women’s singles over the previous nine days as she upset a series of Russian seeds en route to the quarter-finals.

Yet having knocked out No.4 Elena Dementieva, former champion and 29th seed Maria Sharapova and 13th seed Nadia Petrova in come-from-behind three-setters, Oudin finally met her match as 19-year-old Danish ninth seed Wozniacki, also playing her first grand slam quarter-final, defeated her in straight sets 6-2 6-2.

Wozniacki’s win sets up a semi-final clash with another unseeded teenager, world number 50 Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, a 7-5 6-4 winner over Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine.

“Today was a really tough match,” Wozniacki said. “Melanie had such a great run and she played an amazing tournament so I’m just going to enjoy this match.

“The next match I have nothing to lose. I mean, I’m in the semi-final of a grand slam.”

Oudin was also in a positive mood following her exit.

“I can take a lot from this,” Oudin said. “I’ve had a great run here but Caroline had a great match today. I hope to come back next year and do even better.”

Wickmayer, meanwhile, said she was staying calm about her surprise progress to the semi-finals. The Belgian teenager, ranked 50th in the world, had not previously got past the second round of a grand slam event but she reached the last four with a straight sets win over Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 19-year-old now becomes the second Belgian to reach this year’s semi-finals, joining former world number one Kim Clijsters in the last four at Flushing Meadows.

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