Battling Oudin is a true believer

Success stories resonate throughout American culture. The much-fabled American Dream has historically - largely via the mainstream art forms of literature and film - romanticised the achievements of unlikely heroes and heroines. More than any other, New York - the Statue of Liberty a welcoming symbol of its infinite possibilities - is the one American city extolling the belief that dreams, however grand, can be realised. America loves success and it adores those who attain it against the odds.

A set down in each of her four US Open matches, Flushing Meadows' newest darling, 17-year old Melanie Oudin, returns to action against fellow teen Caroline Wozniacki in the Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight. Following the first round victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Oudin has toppled three seeds - No 4 Elena Dementieva, No 29 Maria Sharapova and No 13 Nadia Petrova - with brave come-from-behind victories. Giant-killer status assured, Oudin is now only two wins away from her first Grand Slam final.

Safely negotiating the first of those, a quarter-final clash with Wozniacki, 19, is no certainty. With more Tour wins than any other player this year, the Dane is the American prodigy's reward for seeing off a dangerous quartet of Russian adversaries. Ninth seed Wozniacki could yet seal a nightmare ending to Oudin's dream week. The sole seed remaining on their haywire side of the draw, Wozniacki scalped No 6 seed and 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in her last match to reach the last eight.

Oudin, however, her signature shoes stamped with the word "Believe", fears no one. "I know I do belong here," she said after beating Petrova. "This is what I want to do. I can compete with these girls no matter who I'm playing. I have a chance against anyone." A measure of Oudin's rise to prominence is evident in her fanclub. No less than men's world No 1 Roger Federer is trumpeting the Georgia youngster's cause.

"She's beaten great players on the way and it's nice for a change -somebody's coming up we haven't heard about much before," said the Swiss, after his fourth round win over Tommy Robredo. "I think this is very exciting and very much needed on the women's side. I thought she's done very well. The quality players she beat, it's fantastic... the way she fought and the way she stayed with Petrova was very nice."

Oudin seems to have a tendency to do things the hard way. The tears of joy which greeted her Sharapova win looked set to be replaced with ones of woe against Petrova. A 6-1 first set pasting suggested her US Open journey was over. But Oudin, displaying guts and skill well beyond her experience, came back. She won the next set on a tie-break and then broke serve twice in a tense final set to record ano-ther famous shock.

"I didn't think I started off too well and Nadia served unbelievable," said Oudin. "But I stayed in there with her in the second set and she gave me a few free points and I got my confidence. I believed I could do it and I did it." In a women's game often criticised for top players' failings in big games, Oudin's 17-4 career record in three-setters suggests stamina will not be an issue as the US slam gathers second week steam.

Oudin, who also reached the last 16 at Wimbledon, is at odds to explain her success: "It's kind of hard to explain," she said. "I believed I could do it and it's like now I know that I do belong." Women's tennis, as well as American folklore, is thankful her chapter has arrived. emegson@thenational.ae