U.S. Open 2009 - Queens, NY - somewhere around day 36

I was outdoors in front of the Arthur Ashe stadium watching the match between Sharapova and Oudin yesterday. Crowd cheered each time Oudin made a point or out played Sharapova in some way.

The cheering is much like being on a rollercoaster; they get excited every time you go down a big hill. Every so often you hear (or boos) at the open. It is like a collective euphoria when the player the crowd wants to win actually wins.

When Oudin won, my crowd seemed visibly ecstatic.

I asked one woman: "Why are you happy she won?"
"She's 17,an american up and coming tennis star," she said.

I thought: Isn't Sharapova american? She's an immigrant; maybe that doesn't count . (think sarcasm here)

Or: the crowd is tired of her and the kournikovas being labeled the pretty ones (who get all the endorsments).

I asked another woman why she liked her:

"She's a nice player".

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There are a lot of courts at the us open. i counted at least 13. Many players that i am sure i could not name. I went up to 2 people to ask them if they could name 10 players:

She began.. Sharapova, federer, rodick, nadal, oudin, one name i didn't know, another name i didn't know, murray, another name i didn't know, monfils...

"You're good", i said. "You're an avid fan."
"I play too."
"How old are you?"
!14", she said.
"Your name?"
"Sneha."