Live Web Chat Next Week with Oudin
November 4, 2009
LOS ANGELES — Tennis Channel, the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle, is hosting a live chat with American US Open tennis sensation Melanie Oudin, who will christen the network’s new Web site players section on Wednesday. The rising, young star will answer questions submitted by fans on www.tennischannel.com/oudin_chat.
The live chat marks the launch of Tennis Channel’s new Players Lounge, an online destination where tennis’ top players answer personal questions about their off-court lives, revealing an untapped side of these athletes’ personalities. Viewers also have the ability to download players’ favorite songs directly from the Lounge through iTunes.
“I’m excited to be part of Tennis Channel’s new Players Lounge, and it will be a lot of fun to answer questions and talk with tennis fans on its first day,” said Oudin.
Oudin, who will headline the U.S. Fed Cup team finals this week in Italy, is the third-highest ranked American player behind sisters Serena and Venus Williams. She exploded onto the scene in 2009 when, in only her second US Open, Oudin upset three seeded players, Elena Dementieva (4), Maria Sharapova (29), and Nadia Petrova (13), consecutively before being defeated in the quarterfinals by eventual finalist Caroline Wozniacki. Oudin also played number two singles for the U.S. Fed Cup team in its first-round competition against Argentina in 2009, and in that contest secured a must-win victory against Betina Jozami in three sets that kept the United States alive. Had she lost that match the United States would not have advanced to the semifinals to eventually win. Her current world ranking is 49.
Oudin is one of the five players currently featured in the Players Lounge along with Rafael Nadal, six-time Grand Slam champion, Americans Sam Querrey and John Isner, and the up-and-coming Victoria Azarenka. More players will be added at a later time.
“We work with tennis players every day and Players Lounge is just another way to share as much of their personalities as possible with our viewers,” said Robyn Miller, senior vice president, marketing, Tennis Channel. “This is also a unique manner in which to work with partners like Apple – where viewers connect with the players through products and services they can link in the Players Lounge, such as iTunes.”