Christina Mchale

Christina Mchale:- Christina McHale came to her first U.S. Open when she was 10 years old, which seems like a long time ago until you realize she's only 17 now.
The Englewood Cliffs native won her first professional tennis match Tuesday in the tournament she has always loved so much, defeating Slovenian Polona Hercog in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, before a throng of family and friends who packed the bleachers on Court 10.
"The U.S. Open's my favorite tournament of the year, so it was really exciting to come out there and get a win,'' McHale said. "When I first got out on the court, I got a rush of excitement and nerves. It's a great feeling to play here.''

With the win, McHale, 5-foot-5 and ranked No. 381 in the world, will get to play another match in her favorite tournament -- a second-round meeting with former No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who defeated Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova, 6-3, 6-0, Tuesday night.

But that's something McHale will worry about Wednesday night, after she plays her doubles match with Asia Muhammad. Tuesday night was a night for feeling good, and for going out for a nice dinner after the match, and then home for a good night's sleep -- if that was possible.

When she got to match point, McHale insisted she didn't start celebrating early.
"I never really was like, 'I got it, this is over, now,' '' she said. "I was like, 'I want to get this over right now, and not give her a chance to come back.' ''