No Americans qualify for U.S. Open

Modesto product Maria Sanchez lost in the
final round of qualifying for the U.S. Open.
2013 photo by Paul Bauman

  The U.S. Open hasn't even started, and Americans already are struggling.
   Of the 32 male and female qualifiers, none are from the United States.
   Only three Americans even reached Friday's final round of qualifying in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Take a bow, Rajeev Ram, Maria Sanchez and Melanie Oudin.
   Sanchez, a 24-year-old Modesto product, lost to 16th-seeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 6-3, 6-2.
   Sanchez has tumbled from a career-high No. 107 last summer to No. 303. She graduated from USC in 201.
   Sasnovich, 20, will make her first appearance in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. Ranked No. 125, she will face No. 66 Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia in the first round. The winner likely will play 10th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, formerly ranked No. 1.
   Schmiedlova, who will turn 20 on Sept. 13, reached the third round of this year's French Open after knocking off Venus Williams.
   The U.S. Open is scheduled for Monday through Sept. 8.