New York (AP) – With an ace, the only 18-year-old Emma Raducanu sensationally won the US Open and made tennis history in a teenage girl final.
The Briton won the title in a major tournament on Saturday (local time) as the first qualifier. The number 150 in the world rankings defeated the Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who is only a good two months older, 6: 4, 6: 3 and achieved the greatest success of her career without losing a single set in the entire tournament. “I’ve tried this serve the whole game and I’ve always missed. But if there was a moment to meet him, it was this, ”Raducanu told ESPN TV about the crucial moment.
For her success she received a winner’s check for 2.5 million US dollars and will climb to 24th place in the world rankings on Monday. “I hope that we will still play against each other in many tournaments – and finals,” said Raducanu.
The first major final of two unset players
Fernandez’s participation in the final, who had defeated former US Open winners Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka in the previous rounds, was also a big surprise. «I would like to say that I hope to be here again in this final. And then with a trophy, the right one, “said Fernandez, saying on the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks:” I hope that I can be as strong and resilient as New York has been for the past 20 years . ” It climbs from 73rd to 27th in the world rankings.
The duel between the two was the first major final of two unset players. The last time there were two teenagers in a Grand Slam final was 1999, when Serena Williams beat Martina Hingis. Raducanu is also the youngest winner of a Grand Slam since the Russian Maria Sharapova triumphed at Wimbledon in 2004 as a 17-year-old.
Raducanu got the first break to 2-0, but immediately conceded the rebreak in the first set. The spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium occasionally saw spectacular rallies. After 58 minutes, Raducanu made the first round win with the second break to 6: 4.
In the second set Fernandez managed the first break to make it 2: 1, this time Raducanu equalized immediately and countered with another break to make it 4: 2. Fernandez was able to fend off two match points and shorten them to 3: 5 with a break chance of his own before Raducanu suffered a bleeding knee during this rally and had her nerves under control again after the treatment break. After 1:51 hour, the British used the third match point and made the win with an ace perfect. “I just prayed it wouldn’t be a double mistake,” she said.