On Monday at Birmingham, England, in the rain-postponed final of the AEGON Classic, a 2009 US Open quarterfinalist, 20 year old qualifier #269 (last week, #208 this week, career high: #31) Melanie Oudin from Marietta, Georgia, defeated the 2007 tournament champion, 27 year old 5th seeded #21 (and former #1) Jelena Jankovic, from Belgrade, Serbia, 6-4, 6-2 (Melanie is shown after a visit from Santa today).     Melanie's prize is $37,000; Jelena's prize is $19,000.     Melanie said: "This was a really great tournament for me... I think it really helped me playing qualifying here, I played better and better each match. I love playing on grass." tourney story     Jelena said: "Overall I’m really pleased with the week. I had a lot of good matches here. I was happy to be competing and to be at this stage of the tournament. To be in the final is always great. Obviously I’m disappointed to lose in the final but at the same time it’s a good result for me right now."     Jelena and Melanie have met only once before, in 2009 on a chlorophyll court in the 3rd round of The Championships at Wimbledon, when Melanie defeated Jelena 6(8)-7, 7-5, 6-2.     Melanie was playing in her first WTA singles final; she has won 4 ITF singles titles and won the 2011 mixed doubles title partnered with Jack Sock. Melanie has a 24-12 singles match record this year, including 2 qualifying and 6 main draw wins in Birmingham.     Melanie, whose career took a nosedive after 2009, but who has been doing better recently, was pleased to hear late on Saturday that she was awarded a main draw wild card for this year's Wimbledon.

    2008 US Open finalist Jelena is now 12-15 in WTA singles finals; she won at Indian Wells in 2010, and Rome in 2008 and 2007. Jelena also won the Birmingham title in 2007, and reached the final there in 2005. Jelena has a 22-16 singles match record in 2012.

    In Austria on Sunday,, in the final of the Gastein Ladies, the 2008 Budapest champion, 22 year old 7th seeded #66 (and former #11) Alizé Cornet from Nice, France, defeated the 2010 Auckland champ, 22 year old 2nd seeded #35 (career high: #12) Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium (residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco), 6-2, 6-2 (Alizé is shown with the hardware after the match).

    Alizé's prize is $37,000; Yanina's prize is $19,000.

    Alizé said: "I was playing a lot of chip and slice today. [Yanina] plays really aggressively, and I can't play like her or she will kill me. I knew it would be a really tough match. Yanina's a really good player.
    "I was about to lose the second set but I fought so much and tried to stay calm and positive, and that helped. I played well on the important points and that's how I won in two sets...     "It has been four years I haven't won a singles title, so it's just happiness now. I'm so happy." WTA story

    Yanina said: "It was a good week. I'm disappointed not to win, but [Alizé] was better than me today and I just have to accept it and play better next time."

    Alizé and Yanina had met only once before, in 2009 on an indoor hardcourt in the 2nd round at Luxembourg, when Yanina defeated Alizé 7-5, 7-6(6).

    Alizé is now 2-3 in WTA singles finals; she won at Budapest in 2008, and reached the final this year at Strasbourg, and at Acapulco and Rome in 2008. Alizé has a 30-16 singles match record this year.

    Yanina is now 3-5 in WTA singles finals; she won at Auckland in 2010, and at Estoril and Linz in 2008. Yanina has a 22-14 singles match record in 2012.

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