Melanie Oudin Enters Family Circle Cup

19-Year-Old American Teen Sensation Second Player to Enter 2011 Charleston Tournament

CHARLESTON, SC – December 6, 2010 – Melanie Oudin, who captured the hearts of American tennis fans with her quarterfinal run at the US Open in 2009, has officially entered the 2011 Family Circle Cup.  Oudin, 19, from Marietta, Georgia, joins defending champion Samantha Stosur as the first two players to commit to this WTA Tour Premier Event.  Oudin is currently ranked No. 61 in the world, and she is the No. 4 ranked American on the WTA Tour, behind only Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.  Marking the tournament’s 39th consecutive year, the Family Circle Cup is scheduled April 2-10, 2011 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in the Best Tennis Town in America, Charleston, South Carolina.

Following up on a stellar 2009 season highlighted by her captivating US Open quarterfinal run, Oudin has continued her success on the WTA Tour, reaching the quarterfinals or better five times in 2010, including a quarterfinal appearance at Charleston in last year’s event.  Her most remarkable success of this year has been on a Fed Cup stage, where she posted a 2-0 singles record in the USA’s Round 1 World Group 3-2 victory over France, and a 1-1 singles record in the USA’s 3-2 Fed Cup World Group semifinal win over Russia.  In the championship match, Oudin kept the USA team alive with a dominating 6-3, 6-1 upset over world No. 7 Francesca Schiavone, but her team ultimately fell 3-1 to Italy, the defending champion.  Oudin’s 24-24 singles record this year added $285,840 in career earnings, which boosted her match record to 112-69 and $714,270 in total prize money.

“Melanie Oudin’s personality and charisma are abundantly overflowing, both on and off the court, and I know that her fans will be very excited to welcome her back to Charleston where she has had so much success,” said Eleanor Adams, Family Circle Cup Tournament Manager.  “She seems to be very comfortable here, and her results are a clear reflection of her determination to make her mark at this premier event.”

Oudin’s most successful tournament on the WTA Tour, or at any major, has been the Family Circle Cup, where she has notched a 5-2 record.  Her world ranking has steadily climbed since making her Charleston debut in April of 2009, when she reached the third round at the Family Circle Cup, widely renowned as “The Tournament Where Stars are Born”.  Entering that event as the World No. 176 ranked player, she was granted a qualifying wildcard where she notched two victories before entering the main draw, and reached the third round.  With this result, Oudin had made her largest mark on a world stage and rose to World No. 125, the highest ranking at that point in her career.

“I have so much fun at the Family Circle Cup, and I really enjoy exploring Charleston,” commented Melanie Oudin.  “The fans are really supportive and knowledgeable at this tournament, and I’m very excited to return to Daniel Island in April.”

In 2010, Oudin reached the Quarterfinals in Charleston where she fell to No. 7 seed and eventual finalist Vera Zvonareva during the tournament’s most well-attended session of its record-setting attendance year.  She achieved her career-high singles ranking as World No. 31 on April 19, 2010, immediately after this year’s Family Circle Cup.

Oudin lists Charleston and the US Open as her two favorite tournaments in her official biography on WTATour.com, as well as on her official web site at MelanieOudin.com.

Family Circle Cup ticket packages are on-sale now, and individual ticket sales will begin on December 8th, 2010.  Fans are urged to visit familycirclecup.com for continuous updates on ticket information and player commitments as the tournament approaches.

The Family Circle Tennis Center

The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the Family Circle Cup, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Meredith Corporation that also hosts a variety of additional events including concerts, festivals, tennis tournaments and other activities throughout the year.  Charleston, South Carolina bested 81 U.S. cities in being voted the Best Tennis Town in America in the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) 2010 contest.  The Family Circle Cup receives four days of live broadcast domestically on ESPN2, and is viewed internationally by over 25 countries, featuring over 140 hours of live and delayed global broadcast time, reaching 4.33 million viewers worldwide.  With over 21 million readers, Family Circle is one of the most widely read monthly magazines in America and is one of 14 leading subscription magazines owned by Meredith Corporation. The Tennis Center features a 10,200 seat stadium, Grand Lawn, 17 tennis courts lighted for night play, Pro Shop, and a full service event management staff capable of handling all aspects of an event including ticketing, operations, sales, marketing, public relations, and food & beverage. 

For tickets or more info, call (843) 856-7900 or visit familycirclecup.com.

Family Circle Tennis Center
City of Charleston Facility
161 Seven Farms Drive · Daniel Island · Charleston, SC · 29492
Ph: (843) 856-7900 · Fax: (843) 849-5392