Capra, 18, looks like Oudin at Open

The darling of this year's U.S. Open sat behind a desk in the interview room yesterday, player credential hanging from her neck, and answered questions with a bright smile and nervous laughter.

Beatrice Capra, all of 18 years old and playing in her first Grand Slam, had played in the Grandstand at Flushing Meadows and beaten the No. 18 seed, Aravane Rezai, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. With both Capra's age and her being American, there were immediate comparisons made to Melanie Oudin's run to the quarterfinals last year, when she was 17-years-old.

"I really look up to Melanie," Capra said about Oudin, who lost in the second round this year. "I watched all of her matches last year, and I was just so happy for her. You know, it was really inspiring to me because I played her a year before, and then she was getting to the quarters of a Grand Slam. It was just unbelievable."

BACK PAGE AT THE OPEN

The fact that Capra is now in the spotlight is not just a shock everyone watching, but also to herself. After losing in the 18 Nationals, a junior tournament, she received a call from the USTA asking her to play in a wild-card playoff tournament. She went, she won, and now she's in the third round of the U.S. Open.

"Winning today, I'd have to say that was probably one of the best moments of my life," Capra said. "This whole experience has been unreal."

If Capra wants to continue her Cinderella journey, she will have to go the same route Oudin did -- through Maria Sharapova, the No. 14 seed who defeated Iveta Benesova, 6-1, 6-2, last night.

"When I was younger I used to always look up to her," Capra said. "I think it will be a really, you know, good match for me to see where I am compared to that kind of level."

When asked about her relationship with Sharapova, Capra was taken aback and laughed, smiled, and pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Oh, I've never -- no connection," she said. "I've never talked to her or, like, whatever."

If the girl from Ellicott City, Md., came off as very young and somewhat overwhelmed, it is the exact opposite of the way she played.

After being down in the first set 4-2, Capra fought back and took the lead 6-5. With Rezai serving and winning the game 40-15, a tie-break looked imminent. But then there was a bit of a dust up between Rezai and a fan who wouldn't give a ball back, and Rezai became flustered. The 23-year-old Frenchwoman then promptly double faulted, made two unforced errors, and handed the first set to Capra.

"When I was down 4-2 in the first set, I was thinking it was just going to go downhill," Capra said. "But [the crowd] really helped and supported me."

Capra then lost the second set, but broke Rezai twice in the third set and served out for the match.

"I always wanted to play in one of the Grand Slams," Capra said. "I would be watching the Tennis Channel leading up [and] it's just, like, you know, I always wanted that.

"Whenever I want something," she said, "I do my best to get it." -- Additional reporting by Justin Terranova

bcyrgalis@nypost.com