Oudin's Upset Run Ends in Quarters

Belgian rebounds from 2-year hiatus to capture 2nd major

(NEWSER) - After 2 years off, Kim Clijsters needed just two sets to capture US Open title No. 2 tonight at Flushing Meadows. The 7-5, 6-3 victory over Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark capped a dramatic run by the 26-year-old Belgian, who was unseeded in her third tournament since un-retiring. Her 18-month-old daughter, Jada, was in the stands tonight, reports the New York Times. More»

16th-seeded Cilic ousts British star in straight sets

(AP) - Second-ranked Andy Murray was surprisingly ousted from the US Open today by 16th-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic, a lopsided 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 match in the fourth round. Cilic overcame two set points in the first set, then pounded Murray over the last two to make his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal. Murray, who lost to Roger Federer in the final at Flushing Meadows last year, will finish 2009 without making a major final. More»

Boyfriend helped American teen design those flashy shoes

(NEWSER) - With American Melanie Oudin’s surprise roll to the US Open quarterfinals capturing the sports world’s imagination, Chris Chase of Yahoo! Sports lists five facts you should know about the 17-year-old:

• It’s gotta be the shoes: Oudin herself selected the pink-and-yellow look. Maker Adidas earlier said the design wouldn’t be made available to the public—a move it might be rethinking just about now.

(NEWSER) - American teenager Melanie Oudin continued her rampage through the US Open this afternoon, again dropping the first set en route to upsetting a seeded Russian in a 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over No. 13 Nadia Petrova. The 70th-ranked 17-year-old, buoyed by the crowd's vocal support, demonstrated laser-like focus until the final shot, when she dropped her racket and clutched her head in shock, the New York Times reports. More»

(NEWSER) - The meticulous attention a pro tennis player gives to choosing balls ahead of a serve is a little bit of science with a healthy dose of superstition—or even stalling. Players say balls that have seen more play are fluffier and therefore have more drag, though the consensus is that it makes no difference. “But I’m convinced in my head that it does,” fourth-ranked Novak Djokovic tells the New York Times. More»