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Melanie Oudin has to be the story of the 2009 U.S. Open to this point. Dan Levy already talked about commentators openly rooting for the 17-year-old. But this thing is in New York City, and you need reservations if you plan to stay a while, something Oudin didn't really count on when she made travel plans. That is why, after the first week of the U.S. Open, she was bounced from her hotel:
The 70th-ranked tennis player had not expected to remain in N.Y. so long, as she was only booked at the Marriott through the first week of the tournament. Her agent, BEST Tennis President John Tobias, through the company's travel agent, Sport Travel, quickly got her into the Intercontinental. Tobias: "Obviously, we will not be sending any of our players back to that hotel.”
Ah yes, that is the finest in agent-speak. Blame the hotel, as opposed to your in-house travel agent who only had your player making it through the first week. Something tells me that the Intercontinental is just fine with the little scheduling snafu and glad to have their name associated with the biggest thing going at this year's Open.
(H/T to SportsBusiness Daily)
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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The agent should be smarter at the outset. Hotels (esp in NYC) do fill – and they honour their reservations.
by josephirving on Sep 8, 2009 4:58 PM EDT reply actions
Except for Peter King ;)
by qwagmire on Sep 8, 2009 6:31 PM EDT reply actions
I am sure the Hotel is considering filing for Chapter 11 now that this one agent and player have sworn off their services. Where, oh where might they find people in a Metropolitan area of 23 Million with millions of visitors from all over the country and world pouring in 12 months a year?Clearly, the hotel should have changed policy and kicked the new guests to the curb to accommodate a previously unknown kid from Georgia, who got famous while staying in their rooms!
by vagabondguru on Sep 9, 2009 5:24 AM EDT reply actions
Welcome to the spot-light Melanie Oudin. How will you choose to use your sex appeal? Probably take it from a page right out of another young tennis players book, huh.
by slim.sweetness on Sep 9, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions
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