Sports

Open over for Oudin

The clock struck midnight for this Cinderella.

American teen tennis phenom Melanie Oudin was dealt a crushing defeat at the US Open last night, ending her fairy-tale run in Flushing Meadows.

The 17-year-old Oudin, in her first match under the lights, was overpowered by ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniaki, falling in straight sets in the quarterfinals to the 19-year-old Dane.

“I wanted to win more than anything. Losing isn’t good enough,” a tearful Oudin said after the match, which she dropped 6-2, 6-2.

“[But] I really think about it and I really have had an incredible two weeks and I should be proud of myself.”

Despite some signs of life at the end of the first set and the begin ning of the second, the Marietta, Ga., native was never able to snatch the lead.

“Melanie played a great match today and I’m sorry that I had to go against Melanie,” Wozniaki said. “Melanie has had such a great run and she has played such an amazing tournament.”

The loss hit some fans hard.

“We really wanted to see her win and it wasn’t her greatest match,” said Monica Golbran sen, 14, of LA, who flew in with her family especially to see Oudin.

“I felt the way I feel when I lose a tournament, a little disappointed. But she’s only 17 and has a lot of years ahead.”

But for many people in the stands, Oudin’s miracle run was satisfying enough.

“I wanted her to win because she’s small,” said 8-year-old Emily Bass, of Westport, Conn.

“I was a little sad, but she could win the whole US Open one day.”

The crowd cheered every point Oudin made and sighed with every missed shot.

“She’ll get through this experience and realize there’s more to come,” said actor Alec Baldwin.

Pals in Marietta, who gathered to watch their hometown hero, broke into cheers of support at the end of the match.

“All of America is behind her and the best is yet to come,” said Justin Snider, 17. “This may be the end of the tournament, but it’s not the end of Melanie Oudin.”

Oudin’s storybook effort at the Open has featured upsets against top-ranked players.

In the second round, she scored a stunning victory against fourth-ranked Elena Dementieva.

She followed that up with a commanding three-set upset of three-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova.

Finally, she sent 13th-ranked Nadia Petrova packing.

Additional Reporting by Holly Aguirre in Marietta, Ga.

tom.liddy@nypost.com