Oudin May Need To Take A Step Back

Written by: Adam Fish on 20th January 2010

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Oudin May Need To Take A Step Back

Melanie Oudin in much happier times during the US Open. |

Remember Melanie Oudin? America’s sweetheart, who charmed Flushing Meadows with her Russian killer attitude?

Well since Flushing, it’s been a struggle and she hasn’t won only one match since New York’s tiffany event.

Too many TV appearances, exhibitions and now a Met-like collapse in the first round of the Australian Open, where she dropped four match points in the second set to Alla Kudryavtseva, eventually losing, 6-2 5-7 5-7.

“I was down on myself,” she said. “I should have been done and getting a shower.”

How true and now that Oudin will have at least two weeks on her hands, she should re-evaluate where her career is going and maybe learn a new word in the ever agreeable 18 year-old’s vocabulary.

“No.”

Oudin needs to stop trying to make others happy and maybe take care of No. 1. There’s no shame in turning down the occasional television appearance or exhibition (She played in six since Flushing). She gets on TV or goes to an event because of her success in September. If she keeps going out in the first or second round, the invites will dry up and television will cancel her faster than NBC canned the “Jay Leno Show.”

But under her wholesome appearance, there’s a smart girl in there, who already knows that she made a mistake.

“I was exhausted,” she said.

It’s now time for the Georgian to take a step back and maybe skip a couple of tournaments in order to concentrate on improving her game. For all her hype, Oudin’s serve isn’t that great and she relies upon her speed a little too much.

Too much work has slowed her down.

And that makes for a very poor post-US Open record. Yet, remember she’s only 18 and has plenty of time to get stronger and prove that a week in September was not a flash in the pan.

“I only did well in one tournament, and I’m still learning” she said. “Everyone expects me to play like that all the time and I’m trying to get better.”

With some time off, she probably will.

Topics: Alla Kudryavtseva, America S Sweetheart, Australian Open, Collapse, Exhibition, Exhibitions, Flash In The Pan, Hype, Jay Leno, Jay Leno Show, Match Points, Melanie Oudin, Nbc, Shame, Smart Girl, Television Appearance, Tiffany, Time Off, Tv Appearances, Vocabulary