U.S. Open midterm grades

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Taylor Dent has had an inspiring run at the U.S. Open so far. Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images 2009 U.S. Open Day 15 Richard Deitsch: Del Potro emerges Jon Wertheim: Reaction to upset Del Potro stuns Federer to win first major Game-by-game analysis of the final Wertheim: Fifty parting shots More Coverage Day 14 Coverage ------------------- Comeback Kim: Clijsters wins Open title No. 6 Del Potro dominates ailing Nadal Trick shot helps Federer down Djokovic Richard Deitsch: Clijsters' feel-good story S.L. Price: Federer at ease with title in sight Jon Wertheim: Serena way out of line   Day 13 Coverage ------------------- Serena loses cool, then semifinal match Wozniacki makes first Grand Slam final Richard Deitsch: Serena melts down   Day 12 Coverage ------------------- Rain wreaks havoc on schedule   Day 11 Coverage ------------------- Del Potro rallies past Cilic into semifinals Williams sisters advance to doubles final Unseeded duo wins mixed doubles title Jon Wertheim: Another feel-good story   Day 10 Coverage ------------------- Wozniacki ends Oudin's run in quarterfinals Federer reaches 22nd straight major semi Djokovic overcomes Verdasco in quarters S.L. Price: Oudin's time just beginning   Day 9 Coverage ------------------- Murray upset; Clijsters, Serena, Nadal win Jon Wertheim: Major letdown for Murray   Day 8 Coverage ------------------- Isner eliminated; Federer rolls on Oudin rallies to reach quarterfinals Jon Wertheim: Drama in women's draw   Day 7 Coverage ------------------- Clijsters stuns Venus, comeback rolls on Jon Wertheim: Storylines for Week 2 Kevin Armstrong: Zvonareva melts down Jon Wertheim: Another Roddick near miss   Day 6 Coverage ------------------- Isner outlasts No. 5 Roddick Andrew Lawrence: Isner closes the deal Kevin Armstrong: Oudin keeps rolling Jon Wertheim: Midterm grades   Day 5 Coverage ------------------- Nadal wins; top men's seeds make history Williams sisters storm on to Round 4 Jon Wertheim: Men's top seed on a roll S.L. Price: A fresh face for big stage   Day 4 Coverage ------------------- Oudin, 17, upsets No. 4 Dementieva Roddick rolls on a big day for Americans Emotional loss for grief-stricken Jankovic Jon Wertheim: U.S. teen impresses   Day 3 Coverage ------------------- Venus, Nadal breeze; Safin, Santoro done Jon Wertheim: Hewitt finds grace S.L. Price: In defense of Marat Safin Jon Wertheim: A day for goodbyes   Day 2 Coverage ------------------- Murray, Sharapova advance; Ivanovic out Jon Wertheim: Positive signs for U.S. Kevin Armstrong: Ivanovic falling fast Bryan Graham: Open, from A to Z   Day 1 Coverage ------------------- Federer, Serena cruise; Venus survives Jon Wertheim: Clijsters a contender Kevin Armstrong: Venus shaky in victory   Podcasts/Video ------------------- Audio: Wertheim on Day 3 matches Audio: Wertheim's early impressions Video: SI at the U.S. Open Party Video: U.S. Open Experience Audio: Wertheim's U.S. Open Preview SI Photos Roger Federer's Amazing Trick Shot Iconic images of the U.S. Open

Grades for the 2009 U.S. Open after six days:

A

Melanie Oudin: That sound you heard was the star-making apparatus revving up. The 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., upsets Elena Dementieva and then Maria Sharapova. The toast of Week 1.

Men's seeds: Rolling right along (save Andy Roddick). Top 16 seeds reach the third round.

Serena Williams: Though a title won't elevate her ranking, this is shaping up as her tournament to lose.

John Isner: Good week for Georgia. Former Bulldog takes out Roddick 7-6 in the fifth for the one notable upset on the men's side.

Taylor Dent: Long live serve-and-volley tennis (with an additional nod to Ivan Navarro). In his first Open since 2005, Dent reaches Round 3 -- and wins one of the most enthralling men's match so far.

USOpen.org: Just a standout site, highlighted by the streaming video from the outer courts. We have seen the future.

Belgian tennis: Kim Clijsters is a contender. Yanina Wickmayer keeps winning. And these Justine Henin return rumors continue to grow louder. Pretty good for a country of 10 million.

Flawless weather: Not only a boon to the fans, but it's been conducive to high-quality tennis. Few retirements, no arrhythmic rain delayed matches, no dehydration.

B-plus

ESPN: Lots to like about the debut coverage, but the McEnroe-McEnroe team needs to be reconsidered. Strong as they are individually, when paired together it feels like they're both playing out of position.

B

Qualifiers and wild cards: Most of have been eliminated but some strong performances, notably Clijsters.

Marat Safin and Fabrice Santoro: Two of the sport's more entertaining players -- for very different reasons -- play their final Grand Slam event.

B-minus

Sam Stosur: Her doubles play keeps her from C territory. But how does a player who reaches Week 2 of both the French and Wimbledon -- and beats Serena on hard courts this summer -- fall in straight sets to Vania King?

Elena Dementieva: Another underachieving Slam -- this on the heels of a title in the U.S. Open tune-up. Gracious in defeat, as ever. But it's still defeat.

C

Ana Ivanovic: Her game (and thus confidence) is in the breakdown lane. The world's No.1 player barely a year ago, she has no answer, falling in the first round.

LeGarrette Blount: What does he have to do with tennis? Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, former CEO of the WTA Tour, is getting an early taste of D-I sports. Say what you will about tennis politics, but there was never any coldcocking!

Dinara Safina: After flirting with disaster he first two matches, the No. 1 loses to 72nd-ranked Petra Kvitova in the third round.