Odesnik Into Quarterfinals of Indianapolis

In a battle between a player that looks suspiciously like an elf and one that looks suspiciously like a muppet, the elf prevailed.

Wayne Odesnik came back with two breadsticks to recover from dropping the first set, moving past fourth-seeded Russian Igor Kunitsyn 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 to make the quarterfinals in Indianapolis .

While Odesnik made the quarterfinals, the two other diminutive Jewish players entered in Indianapolis weren't as lucky.   #2 Seed Dudi Sela of Israel was upset by American Alex Bogomolov Jr., 6-4, 7-6(4), and American Jesse Levine could only manage four games against Marc Gicquel, going down 6-2, 6-2 to the French #7 seed.

I've wondered ever since I first saw him play in Washington two years ago (when he beat current world #5 Juan Martin Del Potro) why Odesnik doesn't get more hype from the American tennis media.  It could be that he was born outside of the US, or maybe it's because his favorite surface is (gasp) clay.  Whatever the reason, hopefully he can keep getting more and more respect by making a deep run this week.  He has a pretty good chance of making the semifinals, as he faces John Isner in the quarterfinals.  Isner

Kunitsyn, who never got a whole lot of hype, is showing why.  After winning the Kremlin Cup in Moscow last year and reaching a career high ranking of #35, Kunitsyn has quietly gone a horrendous 8-19 in 2009.  Once those Kremlin Cup points come off, Kunitsyn could be looking at a 2010 schedule packed with challengers and qualifying.