Ah, yes, the joys of raising kids. And make no mistake, Bellis is a kid. She is home-schooled and about to start 10th grade. Her first memory of the U.S. Open is watching on TV while Maria Sharapova played. She likes to hang out at the mall with friends back home in California. Asked whether she's a fan of pop star Justin Bieber, Bellis answered, "I used to like him when I was younger, a couple years ago."
Her victory was part of a 9-4 showing by American women Tuesday, including 8-0 against unseeded opponents. In an all-American match at night, another teen, Taylor Townsend, lost quickly to two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-3, 6-1.
"We have such an amazing future," Williams said about U.S. women's tennis. "We have so much to look forward to." Her win came after Roger Federer beat Marinko Matosevic 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) with Michael Jordan sitting in Federer's guest box in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
