So how does a 17-year-old unseeded qualifier mentally prepare herself for a third round match against No. 6 in the world Jelena Jankovic at perhaps the greatest Slam in tennis?
“[I] was just thinking that she was any other player, and this was any other match, and I was at any other tournament – you know, not like, on the biggest stage, at Wimbledon, playing my first top-10 player.”
That's how American Melanie Oudin explained how she made it into the Round of 16 at Wimbledon yesterday. And that's how you have to mentally approach every tennis match you play (even if you're not at Wimbledon)! Good luck to Oudin in her next match against Agniewszka Radwanska of Poland.
And, BTW, Andy Roddick also advanced to the Round of 16, beating Austria's Jurgen Melzer. Andy remains as the last American man playing singles (no surprise there) and I would love to see him make it to the finals.
© Kim Selzman 2009
All Rights Reserved