Emma Raducanu has ended Britain’s 44-year drought for a woman Grand Slam trophy as she has stunned her Canadian opponent Leylah Fernandez in the US Open Final on Saturday.
The 18-year Raducanu with a record-breaking run in New York beat Leylah Fernandez with a 6-4 6-3 and lifted her first US Open trophy in the thrilling final.
Raducanu threw herself to the floor in disbelief as she fired down an ace to conclude what has been the most remarkable journey.
Raducanu served for the match leading 5-3 but bruised her leg as she went break point down, she took a medical time-out that clearly irritated Fernandez who expressed her frustration to the match official.
However, Raducanu shrugged off the delay, saving a further breakpoint before closing out her third championship point.
In her on-court speech, Raducanu said, “It means so much to have Virginia Wade here and also Tim Henman,”. The teen champion then added that following these British icons had given her the belief that she could do it.
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said, “I cannot believe it. It is unheard of for a qualifier to win the US Open. Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon as a wildcard but he had already been to Wimbledon finals, not playing a second Grand Slam.”
Former British number one Laura Robson in her interview praised the teen star and said, “There are so many sliding doors moments. Before Wimbledon, Emma didn’t have a main draw wild card. Would she be in this position if they hadn’t upgraded it? Would this happen if she hadn’t had to retire from the fourth round with breathing problems?”
Raducanu with this victory has made history as she become the first British to win at Flushing Meadow since Virginia Wade in 1968, the first qualifier in the championship era to win a Slam, the youngest women’s Slam champion since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004, and the first woman to win the US Open without dropping a set since Serena Williams in 2014.
