Catherine "Cici" Bellis became the youngest tennis player to win a match at the US Open in 18 years since Anna Kournikova.

"Believing was the number one thing that I had to do today. Just go out there and believe that you can win," Bellis said after winning third round at the 2014 US Open. "If you do believe, there's two options. You can either believe and lose or believe and win, but if you don't believe you're going to lose anyway."

Despite her second round loss to emerging Kazakh tennis player Zarina Diyas in three sets, Cici became an instant sensation of the 2014 US Open after upsetting Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.

An unforced error by Cibulkova brought Cici to her knees and the crowd on their feet as she pulled of a stellar victory in three sets, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Asked who her tennis idols are, Cici cited names of two legends: Serena Williams of the United States and Kim Clijsters of Belgium.

"I just think [Serena is] such a great person for American tennis and a player for America. She has done so much for tennis here. So I love watching her," said Bellis. "And everything about [Kim]. Her confidence on the court, the way she carried herself, her game. The fact that she had kids, then came back to win the US Open. That's amazing."

Cici joins an elite US Open company of teenagers that have won and turned into a darling of the tournament.

Back in 2009, never-say-die Melanie Oudin of the United States reached the US Open quarterfinals at the age of 17.

Then 15-year old Anna Kournikova of Russia started her Grand Slam career with consecutive wins to push her to the fourth round of the tournament, until she bowed down to the legendary Steffi Graf.

In 1990, Jennifer Capriati breezed her way through the fourth round falling into the mighty hands of Graf.

Capriati is the youngest ever to win a US Open match at 14 years old.

Mary Joe Fernandez (1985) and Tracy Austin (1979) are also part of this class of teenage stunner.

Young blood beating the veterans – there lies the beauty of the sport that is tennis.