Melanie Oudin's next endorsement deal? AirTran AirWays

Advertisers are always on the hunt for the next big thing; its intrinsic to the job.  Of course, its a double-edged sword; some of those “big things” fizzle out quickly, and some of those long shots end up becoming house hold names for years to come.

The story of tennis player Melanie Oudin is becoming a rather interesting one.  She is currently ranked 44th in the world (the highest ranked American female behind Venus and Serena Williams) and she strung together an impressive set of victories in the U.S. Open, before being eliminated in the quarter-finals.  All signs seem to be pointing towards Oudin being “the next big thing”.  Advertisers have already taken note.

On the day Oudin was eliminated from the U.S. Open she had also signed a new endorsement deal with Massachusetts technology company, Back Office associates.  And now? just a few weeks later, she has signed a new endorsement deal with AirTran AirWays.  Via Press Release,

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ), announced today its partnership with U.S. Open quarterfinalist and Marietta, Ga., resident Melanie Oudin. The 17-year-old sensation has become the newest team member on the low-cost carrier’s roster of sports endorsers and will be featured in radio spots and state-of-the-art, high-impact billboards in Atlanta, where AirTran is the second largest carrier, and in other markets throughout the carrier’s coast-to-coast network.

“Melanie Oudin has quickly become a household name in the world of tennis, and we are so proud of her accomplishments both on and off the court,” said Tad Hutcheson, AirTran Airways’ vice president of marketing and sales. “Melanie joins a great lineup of celebrity endorsers including Indy Racing Star Danica Patrick, Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan, Atlanta Thrasher Ilya Kovalchuk and Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning just to name just a few.”

Oudin is currently ranked number 44 in the world on the Sony Ericsson WTA Singles Tour and, appearing in only her second U.S. Open, recently topped seeded players Elena Dementieva (#4), Maria Sharapova (#29) and Nadia Petrova (#13) before being eliminated in the quarterfinals. Oudin was the youngest quarterfinalist at the U.S. Open since Serena Williams’ appearance in 1999, and is now the third highest ranked American singles player behind Serena and Venus Williams.

“I am thrilled to have AirTran as a partner as I strive to reach my goals as a professional tennis player,” commented Melanie Oudin. “It means so much to me that a local company is supporting me and I am truly excited about this partnership.”

At only age 17, it looks like Melanie Oudin could be around the tennis world for some time to come.  AirTran and Back Office have gotten in on the ground floor…how long before other companies take note?