Devvarman, Oudin Owned Their Baselines, Denied Foes Kendrick, Gullickson the Net

NCAA Men’s Singles Champ, World’s No. 3 Junior Girl Earn First Challenger

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Move over, Old Guard – make way for the new. At least that’s what crowds at the 14^th annual Fifth Third Bank Tennis Championships saw all week and during Sunday’s finals from a pair with not a lot of pro experience – ’08 University of Virginia graduate Somdev Devvarman and 16-year-old Melanie Oudin.

The title matches were eerily similar in score and execution: unseeded Devvarman of India defeated third-seeded Robert Kendrick 6-3, 6-3 by not allowing the big Californian to slug balls by him; eighth-seeded Oudin out-grounded unseeded Carly Gullickson 6-4, 6-2, plus making her volley below the tape whenever the slower woman came to net.

Both winners had slightly easier trips to the singles finals than did the vanquished runners-up. But, Devarrman knocked off second-seeded Bobby Reynolds in a 2^nd round three-setter and eighth-seeded Oudin – never extended to an extra set – had to oust fifth-seeded Ye-Ra Lee in the semis.  Keep in mind Devvarman had the three additional matches of qualifying before catching the break of Xavier Malisse retiring in the semis with an injury early in the first set.

Click here for Sunday's complete recap