British 18-year-old qualifier Emma Raducanu and Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez completed astonishing runs to their historic first Gr...
British 18-year-old qualifier Emma Raducanu and Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez completed astonishing runs to their historic first Grand Slam final on Thursday at the US Open.
Raducanu became the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final, and the youngest Slam finalist in 17 years, by ousting Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4.
“I’m in the final and I can’t actually believe it,” Raducanu said.
Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4, for her third Open win over a top-five rival, a feat not seen at a Slam since Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2012.
“Now I can say I’ve done a pretty good job of achieving my dreams,” Fernandez said.
In a real-life epic as amazing as any fairy-tale, the teen prodigies will meet Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where one of them will claim her first Grand Slam title.
“Is there any expectation?” Raducanu said. “I’m a qualifier so technically on paper there’s no pressure on me.”
It’s the first Slam final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open, and just the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since 1968).
“I just want to play a final,” Fernandez said. “I’m going to enjoy my victory...
