Shvedova warns top stars - "We are coming"

After pulling off the biggest surprise on a day of shocks at the US Open, Yaroslava Shvedova has a message for the stars of women's tennis from the sport's teen prodigies and new young faces.

"They better watch out," she said. "We are coming."

The coming out party happened Thursday at Arthur Ashe Stadium when Shvedova ousted Serbian fifth seed Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6) and US teen Melanie Oudin eliminated Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

"This year, I see how many players are doing this," Shvedova said. "It's like big changing starts now."

Shvedova, who turns 22 on the day of the US Open women's final, watched as 17-year-old Oudin, who ousted Jankovic from Wimbledon in the third round, kept Dementieva's search for a Grand Slam title ongoing for another season.

"I told her after my match, 'You inspired me.' I was watching her game, waiting for my match," Shvedova said. "I said, 'We are good girls today.'"

Oudin, of small stature and ranked 70th, is not scaring the superstars just yet. But as the No. 3 US players, she is the one Serena and Venus Williams would see if they look over their shoulders.

"It's really cool to be called the third-best American behind the Williams sisters," Oudin said. "That's incredible. I've watched them since I was a little girl. They've been like my idols."

Jankovic, whose game was affected by the death of her grandmother the bight before, saw Shvedova as symbolic of a carefree, new young breed with nothing to lose when facing top seeds.

"When you are playing a player like that they play totally different," said Jankovic.

"They're serving 120 mph. They are hitting every shot. They are really not thinking out there.

"They are just playing freely because they have nothing to lose and that was the case with her." Shvedova beat Jankovic in Doha last year with a torn meniscus.

"I realized it was bad. I knew I need surgery," she said. "So they just tape it. I went on the court and I just played. I realized it's nothing special. For me it's like a regular player. So you can beat anyone."

Shvedova switched her citizenship from Russia to Kazakhstan last year so she could have a chance to compete in the Fed Cup or maybe the Olympics rather than having to fight for resources and positions with a host of established Russian stars such as top seed Dinara Safina, Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"I was thinking last year I would like to move somewhere because I was coming up and starting to improve my game," she said. "In Russia it was difficult to practice, because I was 15 in the country in the rankings and the federation didn't help.

NEW YORK, Friday, (AFP)