Year after year, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) renews itself with the arrival of newcomers whose playing style and personality touch the spectators. Among the numerous tournaments of the tour, the one in Quebec City known as Challenge Bell stands high where newcomers and players who are in their first years of their career are concerned. This year, the American Melanie Oudin, whose name has risen with wonder at the 2009 US Open, came to Quebec City in order to participate for the first time in this tournament. A light and agile player with an incredible strength of character.

Let's take a step back in time
On the courts of her hometown, Marietta in the surroundings of Atlanta in the United States, her grand-mother Jo introduced her with Katherine, her twin sister, to tennis. So, early, at the age of seven years old, she was initiated to this sport. How could she resist her grandma who offered her a racket and some tennis lessons? Well, Melanie has let herself enjoy the game.

To live completely her sport dream, she decided to study at home while her sister was going to public school. This way, like she says herself, she could not discover the joy of life in school. Oh yes, some people would want to express their feelings on this matter immediately but this is another story. Ah ah ah!

After she made her way in the junior ranks, the player of 5 feet 6 inches became professional in February 2008. She set her mark rapidly in the WTA tour. Her first important victory happened no where else but on one of the courts of Wimbledon in 2009. In the third round, she surprised the ex number one player in the world Jelena Jankovic in a well disputed match where the final score was 6-8, 7-5, 6-2. This first victory against a player of high calibre aroused on the spot the attention of the media and at the same time Melanie leaped to the top 100 in the world ranking.

Mel's playing style
However, what defines the playing style of this young American? At first sight, she is a baseline player who has a good defensive game which she combines with striking counterattacks. Besides, on the strategic level, she works well her shots on the court which allow her to destabilize her opponent. Her best shot, which is her favourite, is her forehand. She can sustain the rhythm of the game with her slice backhand which plays a more defensive role in her repertoire of shots.

On the physical conditioning aspect, she relies a lot on her speed and it is possible to affirm without mistake that she has good cardio-respiratory capacities. On a tennis court, she is a good runner.

The spectator can also note that she is strong psychologically. She does not get easily distracted even during difficult moments.

Of course, the young player has some weaknesses and we can point out on the first hand her serve which lacks power and sometimes originality. We can also add the unforced errors that the American player does a little bit too often. The regularity of her different shots has to be improved. This implies without a doubt additional practice hours on the court to strike balls again and again. Well, her actual coach, Brian de Villiers, will guide her in order to improve the different aspects of her game.

Let's go back to the blue court in Quebec City where I saw her playing in September 2010. Once more, it was visible that Mel has good physical conditioning. Thin, fast and in impeccable form! Besides the results, it is possible to make a comparison between her and the dynamic Justine Henin. Besides, there was a time when Melanie admired the playing of the Belgian lady. Visibly, they have similarities concerning the physical aspect. Let's underline now the intensity on the court which is a prominent point of her character. Indeed, the American is truly determined as well in singles as in doubles. She also has a very compact style when she hits the ball. She can place good forehands on the court.

When the game is not turning to her advantage or when she does not put an appropriate angle and the ball finishes in the net, the young lady becomes sometimes emotional. It's her way to get rid of the tension and to progress in the match.

Like any professional player, she wants to win. This desire is clearly visible in her attitude. The balls which seem lost can be recovered with a mixture of determination and agility. Then, her defensive game combined with some counterattacks can generate captivating plays. In the end, is it this intensity and the peculiar personalities of each player that we want to see?

Her performance on the court
Let's remember her awesome journey at the 2009 US Open where her peers and the tennis enthusiasts were supporting her because of the outstanding performance she delivered. In the second round, she defeated the powerful Russian Elena Dementieva and then she followed with another victory, this time, to the detriment of no one less then Maria Sharapova. After that, she won and showed the exit to the Muscovite Nadia Petrova. For these three Russian women, it was a first confrontation with the American. Yeah! The memories of Melanie will be clear because in all these confrontations, she lost the first set in order to come back and win the match every time in three sets! After these surprise victories and really motivated, she wrote on her tennis shoes the word "Believe". On the other hand, her path stopped abruptly in quarterfinals against the Danish lady Caroline Wozniacki by the score of 6-2, 6-2. On account of her good performances, she received for 2009 the title of Newcomer of the Year in the WTA.

Surely her grand-mother is delighted and happy for her little girl for her efforts on the court or when Melanie takes the time to visit her and play a game of gin rummy. It seems that it's the favourite card game of Mel. In brief, it's tennis which takes the biggest part of her life and which is her passion. With her yellow, pink and black Adidas tennis shoes or with another pair, we can be sure that she will run down all the balls along the baseline with lightness and agility. Now, we understand that the spectators are delighted with the arrival of newcomers who bring freshness and combativeness.