Bad day for Russians on Saturday in N.Y

Two big upsets came for two Russians on Day 6 in Flushing Meadows, including top seed Dinara Safina who fell in three sets at night to Petra Kvitova, while Maria Sharapova was ousted earlier in the day by American rising star Melanie Oudin in three thrilling sets.

Safina was in her worst form, and despite having three match points in third set at 5-4 to her favor on Kvitova's serve, Kvitova was able to handle her opponent and win the match with a score of 64 26 76(5).

"It's disappointing. Very disappointing. I came back in the second set, winning six games in a row, playing so well, so solid. And in the third set I came back again," Safina said. "She definitely played well. I still feel I let it go."

Sharapova had similar positions, coming back from being down many times, but opponent Melanie Oudin didn't let her home crowd down, winning the match to the 2006 U.S Open champion with a score of 36 64 75 in 2 hour and 58 minutes.

"Getting to play Maria today was an unbelievable experience for me. She's such a great competitor, a great player. I just had a blast," Oudin said. "I learned, once again, that I can compete with these top girls. And if I believe in myself and in my game, I can beat them. Everything is just coming together."

"She played really well. She has many weapons. She certainly held her ground. It wasn't my best day, but I've got to hand it to her," Sharapova said. "She has a great amount of potential considering, at her age, she is in the fourth round of the US Open, beat Elena and came out and played three sets against me and got the win. I certainly think she has a great future ahead of her."

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Singles - Third Round

Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. (1) Dinara Safina (RUS) 64 26 76(5)

(6) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. Shahar Peer (ISR) 75 61

(9) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (24) Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 63 62

(13) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. (21) Zheng Jie (CHN) 64 61

Melanie Oudin (USA) d. (29) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 36 64 75

Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 63 64

Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Sara Errani (ITA) 63 64

Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) d. (Q) Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 76(4) 64