New York - New American tennis darling Melanie Oudin stretched her fairytale US Open run Monday, starting the second week with a third straight knockout of a Russian opponent to move into a breakthrough quarter-final spot. The smiling 17-year-old from Georgia had her family on hand in the cavernous Ashe stadium during a 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 comeback over 13th seed Nadia Petrova.
Oudin, who announced her presence on the world stage with a Wimbledon fourth-round showing in July, calmly took down the number 13 after losing the opening set and going down a break in the second.
But for the third time in as many matches, the teenager rose to the occasion to carve out a fightback victory after losing the first set.
"I kept my belief even when I was down," said the winner, the youngest American to reach an Open quarter-final since Serena Williams a decade ago. "She was all over me but I kept fighting.
"I got the break-back in the second set and took it from there. I'm so happy I won."
Oudin accounted for fourth seed Elena Dementieva in a second-round surprise, stunned 2006 champion Maria Sharapova in the third before completing her winning hat-trick with Petrova.
"I don't think I started well," said the number 70, who broke Petrova's last three service games. "She was serving unbelievable (10 aces) but I stayed with her in the second.
"She gave me a couple of free points and I gained confidence as it went on. I believed I could do it - and I did.
"This is really good for American tennis, I'm so happy for first by first quarter-final in a Grand Slam ever."
Oudin struck 19 winners and 32 unforced errors as she kept Petrova at bay, winning without a single ace and only one double-fault. She broke the experienced Russian seven times.
Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine reached the last eight over Argentine Gisela Dulko 6-0, 6-0.
In men's play, French Open finalist Robin Soderling advanced when Russian fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko retired with a groin injury to hand over a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory to the Swede.
"It was tough, all of the courts are a bit different speed," said the winner. "I played my last match on Grandstand, which I felt was a little bit slower, so it was tough in the beginning to find the rhythm.
"But I think after 30, 40 minutes I started to play better. I know I can play a lot better, but I think I played a decent match."
In the day's showcase match, top seed Roger Federer was facing Spain's 14th seed Tommy Robredo.
Federer is aiming for his 38th straight win at Flushing Meadows in a bid for a record sixth straight Open at the event. He has beaten Robredo in their last eight matches.
