Ms. Jankovic, I warned you. If you come to play Ms. Melanie Oudin, pack your bags. Miss Oudin does not go away. She makes you run, across the court, then forward, then backward, then forward again. One set with Melanie felt like a lifetime for Ms. Jankovic, once the top player in the world and ranked 127 places higher than our little American sugarplum. Not any longer.

The twosome teed it up at the same time Ana started with Samantha. That match ended. Then, Venus began. That match ended. Little Melanie and Jelena were still going at it over there on Court 3 where there were lots of ooohs and aaahs. The air was heavy, the temperature scorching, but a hot day at Wimbledon is a cool day in Marietta Georgia.

I think she perspired in the 4th game of the third set. It was hard to tell. The former number one needed a 13-minute strategic layover between set one and set two.

That bothered our little lioness a bit, just as Jankovic knew it would. Jelena took the maximum amount of time between points, fumbling with ball exchanges, slowing things down. She stretched the umpire’s patience, the commentator’s patience and the nerves of the little lioness.

Welcome to the Big Leagues, little lioness. Welcome to the world of professional gamesmanship. We hope you never have to resort to that. Shoot from the hip and play from the heart. That is what got you here. That is what won for you today, in the biggest match of you life.

On Day Six at Wimbledon, a 17-year old American High School student, Melanie Oudin, knocked off the former number one player in the world in three sets, 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-2. Jelena Jankovic forgot to pack her bags. The six seed is gone!

Stretched to the quick, Jankovic not only took a 13-minute timeout, she stalled by complaining about everything from line calls to ballboys and ballgirls. For Melanie Oudin, it was another match, another girl.

Melanie Oudin has the highest ranking of any surviving woman. She is the only player in the event who has won six matches. That’s right six. Of course when you are ranked 133, you have to qualify. Melanie is now one of the last 16 players to survive the pressures, heat, crowds and media coverage at this Wimbledon event. And, she has jumped way up in the rankings and on the visibility scene.

I warned you. This pocket rocket has plenty of game. Granted, her serve is suspect. Wait until next year. What she has is an array of accomplished shots. Melanie unloaded baseline drop shots that left Jankovic standing still wondering what she had just seen. Melanie retrieved balls that Jankovic thought were winners. The Serb’s shoulders her kept shrugging. Perhaps, that is why her neck was bothering her.

Court 3 was unfamiliar territory for the play-in. It was like home for Jelena. It soon became Melanie’s home and her favorite court in all the world. Today, Court 3 was where Rocky Balboa overcame Apollo Creed. What a slugfest! Three grueling, intense hours of heavyweight competition. Our little 5 foot 5 inch fireball just kept firing away.

In a match where the players played aggressively when behind, they played tentatively when ahead. The emotional swings were powerful and nerve-wracking. In set one, Melanie had the set in control, but Jankovic’s experience showed through.

Jelena began to land her serves and pressured the young American. Pundits will say that Melanie had nothing to lose, that she was free of pressure. Those pundits do not really understand Melanie Oudin. This girl plays to win every point in every match. Her view is not of the match, it is of the next point.

And make no mistake about it. Melanie has a head for tennis, knows her strengths and weaknesses and plays her game. With Melanie, it is not about pressure, it is about flawless execution. Melanie builds points. She runs opponents across the court, makes them move and simply gets to every ball.

Melanie is about disguising her baseline backhand and suddenly dropping her left hand and deftly executing the most devastating drop shot in the game. It is the joy of doing it right. It is the joy of seeing the admiration in your paralyzed opponent, who shrugs and complains of dizziness, or accosts the ballgirl. Hey, let’s play tennis!

In set two, trailing 4-5, 15-30, Melanie Oudin should have been nervous. She was on the ropes. Then, “the another match, another girl” mentality kicked in. She hit a baseline heart-stopping drop shot that just cleared the net and left Jankovic shaking her baseline head. You could see, she wanted no more of this silly play from this little girl. After all, this is Wimbledon, not Marietta, Georgia. Melanie blasted two winners and it was 5 –5, but it was more than that.

At 5-5, 15-30, Melanie Oudin (oo-dan) chased down a Jankovic drop shot and tidily deposited it beyond reach. She then hit a spectacularly deft half volley. Jankovic stalled but pulled to 40-40.

The match and momentum were on the line. With Oudin, it is not about the pressure, it is about flawless execution. Bing! A stunning crowd-cheering drop shot. Jankovic stared. Then, a cross court, angled backhand and it was 6-5!

Jankovic jumped on nervous serves. A double fault. It was 15-30. Melanie was on the attack. A booming forehand winner squared the game. Oudin finished the set (7-5) with two stellar forehands.

They sat on their chairs. One player wanted to get back out there. The other saw replays of recent performances. She was on the ropes, and the lioness knew it.

First game third set. Melanie fought off 7 game points. That’s right 7 game points. You could feel it. Melanie Oudin refused to lose. She captured an add with another courageous drop shot. She converted to go up 1-0.

In your heart, you knew this match was over! Melanie held for 2-0. Jankovic held, 2-1. Melanie held, broke to go 4-1. Jelena held, 4-2, Melanie held, 5-2. Points were now getting shorter. Jelena had had enough.

The lioness prevailed at game 8 for a 6-2 win. It was the biggest match, the biggest win of a very new career. As Patrick McEnroe said, “it was a huge win for American women’s tennis.” Melanie Oudin learned how to win big matches today. And, she is in the Big Leagues to stay.

Now, little lady, Will you marry my son? Will you be content? You are one of the 16 best grass court players at Wimbledon 2009. Prove it! Beat either Agnes Radwanska or Na Li. Do not be happy to be where you are. This was big, but not the goal. On Monday, another girl, another match.

Chase down every ball, hit another 38 outright winners and do not be tentative when ahead. You know what Melanie? We came to see you play. So, play on, baby, play on!

Melanie Oudin - New Tennis Superstar

We have waited a longtime for a day like this. We have waited an eternity for a Grand Slam event like this. We do not mind that the Brits took our precious 5 foot 5 inch bundle of joy and put her on Court Six in the last singles match of the day. Not one bit! In fact, thank you! What a delight! What a perfect end to a spectacular day of American tennis. Wow!

Our little fireplug, our never-say-die Justine Henin emulator, Miss Melanie Oudin (oo-dan) did it again. On the main draw, it will say that Melanie Oudin, our new teenage superstar from Georgia, defeated Kazakhstan’s 21-year old Yaraslova Shvedova in three hard-fought, endless sets 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Over there on Court Six it was nail-biting time. Remember this little Southern sugarplum has to play her way in to the main draw. Melanie is already in her second week. Two weeks of pounding the grass, diving for balls, chasing everything down and winning.

That’s right, that’s the best part, winning. After her three qualifying wins, she has now racked up 2 main draw wins at the oldest tournament in the world. She is the youngest player still standing. That’s our Melanie. And, we are not letting go of her, not for one second. Frankly, we would like all you media types to leave her alone. We know what you are up to. We don’t blame you. She is after all, our Horatio Alger, our Silky Sullivan, our very special dream-come-true. We’ve been patient. We have waited, and waited and waited. And, now she has arrived.

Of course, we told you she would. You may recall that before this event began, before you knew her name was pronounced oo-dan, we picked her to surprise at Wimbledon 2009. We are darn proud of it, too. We will not let you forget. We have not had anything like this in a long time. Melanie is a very good tennis player. One day, she will be a great champion. But, what she is most of all, is hope. Thank you Miss Oudin. Will you marry my son?

Earlier this years, U.S. team captain Mary Joe Fernandez needed help for her U.S. Federation Cup team. She wanted a young player. In the U.S. there are only two players in the top ten under the age of 20. Fernandez selected Oudin, who jumped at the chance to represent her country. With the U.S. trailing 1-2, she faced Argentina’s savvy veteran Betina Jozami who blew Melanie away in set one. Melanie had a quick talk with herself.

“I kept telling myself after that first set that this time this was just another match, another match against another girl. The less I thought about the circumstances, the better I played.” Melanie came out blazing. She blasted Jozami off the court 6-1, 6-2 in the final sets to claim the match. Fernandez liked what she saw. “That kind of determination is good to see from a young player.”

That is the type performance, the kind of determination that enabled the petite American Dreamboat to overcome that first set thrashing today. Instead of seeing and feeling Wimbledon, she suddenly got that old feeling, the dangerous one. The one that says this is another match against another girl. That is how she came out firing in set two, storming to a convincing 6-2 reversal in set two. And, she fired away at the beginning of set three. Melanie carried that second set momentum to a quick 3-0 lead. Bit, this was too easy. It must be harder. It was.

Yaraslova mixed in some courageous shots, a few outright winners and an ace or two to get to 2-4. Then, she did the unthinkable. She broke our little lady. This was a long, hard game, filled with tension. Yaroslava fought off two game points. Melanie fought off one. At one point it appeared she had won the game, but a line call was overturned and the emotion swung across the net. Suddenly the momentum was changing and changing fast. At 3-4, Yaroslava held to pull even. Melanie was starting to commit unforced errors. This, our baby does not do. Okay, I’ll bite my nails, you pull yourself together. That is what you do. And, she did.

But, Yaroslava was pretty together too. And, she’s a little bigger than our baby. No matter. Melanie does not overpower you. She just wears you down with that searing forehand and that relentless effort. She simply stopped making mistakes. No more unforced errors. If you are going to beat Melanie, pack a bag. She does not go away. Don’t you love her!

At 4-4 , she fought off one break point. The rallies were getting longer and longer. It was taking a toll on Yaroslava. Not, on our bumblebee. Finally, she powered a forehand down the line and took a 5—4 lead. Yaroslava knew what was coming. One shot after another. Everything she threw across came back. It wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t always powerful, but they all came back. Suddenly it was 0-40. Triple set point. Then, it was 15-40. Okay.

Then 30-40. Oh well.

Then, it was 6-4 and little Melanie Oudin will be playing former world number one Jelena Jankovic in round three. Now, how did Henin do with Jelena?

2 hours 12 minutes of bliss! Way to go you Georgia Sugar Plum!

I never thought it would be hard to watch Ana Ivanovic play tennis. I was wrong. Not only is it hard to watch the Serbian beauty queen play, but it is painful. Painful to watch, filled with angst and it must be distracting to play against.

This woman has the competitive heart of a lion and the service ball toss of a 12 year old or perhaps of a 90 year old. The simple act of flipping the ball into a proper service hitting zone is just not happening for Ana. She inexplicably lost her ball toss at last year’s Wimbledon, where she arrived as the world’s top ranked tennis player.

Last years, Ana was fresh off a Grand Slam victory in Paris and a final appearance in Melbourne. She was at the top of the tennis world and at the top of her personal life. In Serbia, there were parades in her honor. She replaced Jelena Jankovic as the Queen of Serbian tennis. She has legions of international fans and has inspired many a fantasy. Ana Ivanovic was a media magnet, a great interview and a dynamic photo shoot ready to happen.

Then, she arrived at Wimbledon. Perhaps, it was that top seed that led to her demise. Perhaps, it is her very visible relationship with Fernando Verdasco that is keeping her submerged. Perhaps, Ana needs a sports psychologist. She definitely needs a coach, having recently disengaged from her second coach in less than a year. But, what she needs most is a good toss; one that allows her balance, a proper weight shift and a reliable point of contact. She has none of those necessary parts.

Unseeded 24 year old Czech star Lucie Hradecka took it right to Ana. The stocky right-hander had the 13th seed on her heels and falling backwards. With the Czech’s 7-4 won lost record in 2009, this match seemed a tune-up for the pretty Serb. But, what a battle!

Lucie is improving. She made the second round in Paris, but she has little experience and no big wins in her resume. This was supposed to be an exhibition match.

Lucie out-hit, out-served and out-composed the former number one. A year from now, she would win this match. As it was, she stretched the former number one to the limit before succumbing 6-8 in the third. She had two match points. She received no breaks. She simply went toe-to-toe and slugged it out with her more experienced opponent.

With the shadow making visibility blurring the second set, three key line calls kept Ivanovic in the match. All three went in favor of the lower seed. The three rulings were made by the umpire.

Despite one seemingly especially bad call, Lucie remained composed. She showed little disappointment compared to her opponent who whined, badgered and protested many a play. Rather than resort to this, I would rather see Ana re-learn the art of serving.

Her velocity just is not there. Her erratic ball toss has her lunging and hitting the ball with poor weight distribution. She only played 61% of her first serves and double faulted 6 times, hardly the numbers for a champion. She has lost about 15 mph on her first serve, which is barely distinguishable from opponent’s second serve. Watching Ana play, you become convinced that she does not know where the ball, is going or when. It is painful.

What seems pretty apparent is that Ana Ivanovic will once again not be playing tennis in the second week of a major. She could use the rest. Please Ana, learn to toss, learn to serve once again. We want to see more of you, but until you change that toss. It just is not happening.

You are no longer the Queen. You are the student. When you are ready, come on back, we’ll be waiting for you!

1. Dinara Safina – 8/1 –

Dinara will make use of her top seed to romp through the opening rounds. The tennis world keeps waiting for Safina to bring that early-round mentality to the finals. At some point, she begins to play not to lose rather than to win.

Her resume is dotted with success. She has earned her top billing. However, her Grand Slam final matches have not helped the public’s perception of Safina as a bit of a choke artist. Her time is now!

2. Serena Williams – 5/2 –

Watch out for the Williams women. Serena is looking for her 3rd Wimbledon title and her 11th Grand Slam Championship. She is tough on grass and has a score to settle with Safina. Serena is looking to get the number one ranking back. In a big match, it is hard to bet against a proven star.

3. Venus Williams – 11/4 –

A five-time winner at Wimbledon and a two-time runner-up, Venus is right at home on the grass. Uncomfortable on the clay of Paris, she will be a force to beat in this one.

Venus has had a disappointing season with early exits in Melbourne and in Paris. The elder sister looks fit and fans expect the juices to flow for the next two weeks. A tough out for anyone.

4. Elena Dementieva – 25/1 –

Elena has reached the semis in three of the last four Grand Slams. Her 2008 semifinal appearance was her best performance in ten outings. However, the fleet Russian’s lackluster effort at clay ground raises questions about her heart.

Dementieva needs to assert herself to hold her number four ranking. Lesser players now regard Elena as a good and doable win.

5. Svetlana Kuznetsova – 16/1 –

Svetlana has added the 2009 French Open to her 2004 U.S. Open Championship and she did it with all the qualities of a true champion. Her strategy and execution were precise and her conditioning excellent.

Svetlana has climbed up in the rankings and the bookmakers like her chances at Wimbledon, where she has reached the fourth round and the quarters in the past two years. If we had to pick an upset winner, Svetlana would be our choice!

6. Jelena Jankovic – 16/1 –

Jankovic was favorably positioned in Paris and was cruising through the draw. When Dementieva was taken down, Jankovic seemed on track to move through the draw until her game inexplicably disappeared in the fourth round.

Much like Safina, the former number one has a history of Grand Slam failure. Her fitness is in question and once again Jelena looks like a long shot.

7. Vera Zvonareva – 33/1 –

Vera’s 20-4 record this year would normally make her a better risk. The determined Russian missed Roland Garros, but is in shape for Wimbledon. If she is fully rested and recuperated, Vera can pull an upset. With $1 million banked so far this season, we look for Vera to reach the quarters and quite possibly the semis.

8. Victoria Azarenka – 12/1 –

Now here is an athlete. Entering her fourth Wimbledon, Victoria strutted her big game power in Paris and should benefit from the grass. Her 32-6 record explains her jump in the rankings and in her popularity with the bookmakers.

Azarenka has the stuff to intimidate sift servers. A native of Belarus, Victoria could very well be a semifinalist this time around.

9. Caroline Wozniacki – 25/1 –

Denmark’s consistent tour player just does not seem to have Grand Slam consistency. The hard-working blonde may not have the ability to endure the grueling two-week demands. Caroline could be out early at Wimbledon. Her serve must improve to reach the quarters.

10. Nadia Petrova – 66/1 –

A quarterfinalist last year, Nadia’s sub-par performance in Paris raises more questions than it answers. One of Russia’s dominating team, Nadia may not fare too well. We look for an early upset of the ten seed.

11. Ana Ivanovic – 14/1 –

Where have you gone Ms. Ivanovic? The pretty fan favorite lost her serve here last year and has only whimpered since. The pretty Serb and Verdasco heartthrob has dropped five notches since the season began. Without a coach and a serve, Wimbledon may not be Ana’s best event.

12. Maria Sharapova – 6/1 –

She’s back! Praise be! Have you ever seen a 24 seed at 6/1? Probably not. If Maria’s conditioning lets her compete, she will be in the mix and the player all the big guns look to avoid. She had moments of brilliance in Paris but lacked stamina. We look for a solid performance on the grass.