American teen tennis sensation Melanie Oudin will be nursing her leg in the whirlpool on Friday. Maria Sharapova will be exercising her shoulder. The Mutt and Jeff pair will square away in Round Three on Saturday.

Oudin continues to thrill the crowds and surprise the pundits with the gutsy play and exhilarating footspeed. “She’s the greatest thing to hit women’s tennis since Chris Evert,” said Tory Dodge of Bermuda. “If she could ever beat Maria, we’ll have to board a plane.”

Such is the excitement 5’6” Melanie has created. Once again American tennis fans have something to cheer about. “Oudin’s performance is great for the 2009 US Open and even better for the game,” added Dodge. The women’s game, stale with temperamental personalities and sulking prima donnas, could use a lift.

One of the prima donnas, 5th seed Jalena Jankovic, is finished for this year. Jankovic fell to unheralded Yaroslava Shvedova in three sets. Jankovic has had a terrible year. Like many of today’s stars, when the going gets tough, Jankovic forgets to ride the horse that got her there. The competitive mindset is gone form the women’s game and especially from Jankovic’s. Players are defensive. Instead of attacking, they tend to hide in the weeds waiting for the train to wreck.

Flushing Meadows fans are asking ‘What has happened to women’s tennis?” Well, what has happened is that there are not enough Melanie Oudins around and there are too many Jalena Jankovics and Dinara Safinas. The passion is gone from women’s tennis. The ladies’ game needs a makeover.

Even proven stars like Serena and Venus Williams come are tired and uninspired by the lack of competition. When Oudin toppled the tour’s hottest player, Elena Dementieva, it was as refreshing as the emergence of the AFL. Fresh faces, fresh blood, passion and drive please! Thank you, Melanie.

When Azarenka stops listening to the pundits and takes her game to the court, she will figure out that she can beat these women. She has the game, the power, all the tools, except the Oudin heart.

Sharapova, a relative youngster herself, looked fit and ready to push Melanie around on Saturday. Sharapova made quick work of 17-year old New Jersey native, Christina McHale. But, aren’t we all tired of her grunting and groaning? It’s old isn’t it? Less noise, more passion, please!

In the weakest part of the draw, top seed Dinara Safina held on for another three set win over Kristina Barrois. It was another sulky, embarrassing performance by the game’s most over-rated player. New York fans are suggesting a sports shrink for the self-indulgent star.

Jankovic has shaped herself up, but forgotten how to win tennis matches. Perhaps, a modeling career in her native Serbia would work?

Now, that Dementieva is gone, it is Serena’s tournament to lose. Serena Williams is one player who knows how to keep her eye on the prize, baby. Her stiffest challenge may well come from the 20-year old Victoria Azarenka, who simply needs to BELIEVE. Azarenka typically dominates play until the quarters. Then, she seems to become tentative. A breakout win just might launch the game’s next superpower.

Venus does not look sharp. In truth, she does not believe she can beat her younger sister. In the bottom half of the draw, Azarenka is the youth movement’s best chance to upset the applecart.

In the top half of the draw, all the talent is in the lower brakcet. Three Russians, Petrova, Kuznetsova and Sharapova join Oudin as the most likely challengers to the established hierarchy, meaning the Williams sisters. Safin may well stagger into the semis but it will only be because of the lack of competition.

Wouldn’t it be fresh to see Azarenka and Oudin go toe to toe for the title?