Highs and Lows of the Women's Game at U.S. Open

There is no excuse for Serena Williams’ behavior tonight that ended her run at the U.S. Open. But tensions were already high since her semifinal against Kim Clijsters had been delayed by more than a day due to rain. A foot fault called during the second set cost Williams the match after she berated the lines judge and was penalized one point – which turned out to be the match point that sent Clijsters into the finals.

Being a role model must be hard. I am often quick to criticize Tiger Woods when he fails to display impeccable sportsmanship, but hey, golf is one frustrating sport. I’m not sure I’ve ever gotten through a round without having a major temper tantrum. I expect professional athletes to handle themselves better, though. I understand that Williams (and Woods) is human, and if enough things conspire against her, she, too, is prone to boil over. The match’s delay must have filled her with anxiety that was difficult to control once it wasn’t going her way. The lines judge claims Williams threatened her and reporters say their verbal exchange was peppered with profanity from Williams. Sure, this is a major, and tennis is Serena’s life, but she has been around far too long to abandon discipline in this way. She simply crossed the line.

Serena marked the tournament low for the American ladies, but sunny 17-year-old Melanie Oudin demonstrated the highs. She seemed unstoppable beating three experienced Russians until she reached the quarterfinals and fell to Caroline Wozniacki, who will face Clijsters in the finals. This is a classic Cinderella story that inspires young girls to believe they can achieve anything, and has captured the attention of many who don’t usually follow tennis. Melanie’s success has been surprising not just because of her age, but because of her body type. At 5’6” she is significantly shorter than most of her competitors, and some say she lacks power. But she makes up for it with her stamina, speed, and confidence. I am one of those that rarely watches tennis, but Oudin caught my attention when she beat No. 1 Jelena Jankovic at Wimbledon earlier this summer. Her performance at Arthur Ashe proved that Wimbledon was no fluke, and with Venus Williams’ early exit and her sister’s shameful loss of control, Oudin established herself as the American darling of this tournament.