NEW YORK (AP)—Melanie Oudin of the United States was ousted from the U.S. Open in the first round Monday, a 6-0, 7-6 (7) loser to Romina Oprandi of Italy.
Oudin, whose run to the quarterfinals captivated New York and the tennis world in 2009, has won just nine of 38 mathes this season and is currently ranked 120th.
After a blowout first set, Oudin made it a match against the 132nd-ranked Oprandi, pushing it to a tiebreaker. She staved off two match points before falling 9-7.
Two years ago, Oudin was the unseeded 17-year-old who beat Maria Sharapova and two other seeds on her way to the quarterfinals. She moved as high as 31st in the world rankings the next year but has been on a steady slide since.