Top seed Elena Dementivea has been there before. Drawing from her vast experience, the elegant Russian beauty overcame a stern challenge from 18-year old upstart Melanie Oudin. The three set 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win avenged a loss at last year’s U.S. Open and moved Elena into the finals against Czech star Lucie Safarova, an upset winner against Italy’s second seeded Flavia Pennetta.

Melanie Oudin, all of 17 and hailed as the future of American women’s tennis lived up to that billing as she upset 29th seeded Russian, Maria Sharapova in three sets at 2009 US Open. Oudin coming from a set down to win it 3-6,6-4,7-5 with the match clock running just two minutes shy of the [...]