On the bouncing heels of Elizabeth Westby Florio’s December profile of the 18-year-old tennis phenom from Marietta, ESPN has listed Melanie Oudin—alongside NBA forward Kevin Durant and major league pitcher Stephen Strasbourg—as being among the next wave of international “sports superstars.” (She’s number five on their list of twenty. Georgia Tech freshman basketball standout Derrick Favors is #16.) Hey, prescient jock scribes: we said it first.
For those of you who aren’t ESPN insiders, here’s what the self-proclaimed experts say makes Oudin special: 1) She plays smart. 2) She has a blistering forehand. 3) She’s as quick as they come. 4) She can manage expectations. 5) She’s got more buzz than Derek Jeter. 6) She’s turning weakness into strength. 7) And she’s bankable.
Now you know.
Read Westby Florio’s profile for the bigger picture.
