Atlanta Firmly Behind Oudin

When it comes to tennis, it is no secret that Atlanta is a participation sport, not a spectator sport. Atlanta boasts the largest tennis league in the world, ALTA, with over 80,000 members.

The last week or so, tennis players and fans in Metro Atlanta have taken to the internet, television and mobile phones to keep up with one of their own, Melanie Oudin, as she makes her surprisng run through the draw at The U.S. Open.

Oudin's home club, The Racquet Club of The South has transformed itself into a giant tennis viewing venue during Oudin's matches. The club, co-owned by Oudin's coach, Brian de Villiers had all of its big screened televisions turned to Oudin vs. Petrova during Monday's round of 16 encounter.

Fans let out screams and gasps during the points, and when Oudin raised her arms in victory the room exploded. Racquet clubs weren't the only venues watching with anticipation. Sports bars throughout Atlanta that normally show football or Atlanta Braves games on their main screens were now showing women's tennis.

In a town where sports arguments are frequently debated on the radio and the newspapers, one consensus is the support shown to this 17 year old quarter finalist from Marietta, GA.