These are the people who made their first splash in the 2009 season, and we will almost certainly be seeing more of them in the future.

The 2009 Tennis-X.com Year-End Awards.

“It’s a very nice feeling. We worked hard to get to this point, finally we made it,” Pennetta said. “In the beginning of the week everyone expected so many things…now we are 3-0 and we can enjoy it.”

The power couple of former No. 1 Chris Evert and golf champ Greg Norman have a announced their separation.

“Are you scared? Because I said I would hit you? I’m sorry, but there’s a lot of people who’ve said way worse.” — Serena Williams to the US Open linesperson before being defaulted.

“She’s such a strong player. She doesn’t give you anything for free,” Oudin said. “She plays incredible defense. Makes me hit a thousand balls and really is a really great player. I mean, I don’t know what else I could have done. I could have been more consistent and been more patient, but she really made me think out there and made me have to hit a winner on her to win the point.”

Sean Randall gives his picks for the US Open matches on Wednesday.

You need to write a story about the fact that the women’s game is in such disarray that Melanie Oudin, a 17-year-old kid, is able to beat just about everyone she faces — without any dominant strokes — by simply not collapsing and allowing every other ranked female to self-destruct as they struggle to battle their emotional demons.

Looking to join the two in the semifinals in Wednesday play will be an all-unseeded meeting with Belgian Yanina Wickmayer vs. the Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko, and in the much-anticipated first night match at 7 p.m. EST, new American sweetheart Melanie Oudin vs. No. 9-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki.

Andy Murray has the tools to win a Grand Slam event, but he does face a tough question: “Should I stick with a generally effective strategy of counterpunching or change strategies by developing and using bigger shots?” Internal doubts arising from this quandary might be worse than just selecting one option and committing to it.