Emma Raducanu, 18, and Leylah Fernandez, 19, met on Sept. 11 for a historical women's singles final at the 2021 US Open. The excitement kept spectators at the edges of their seats as they witnessed Great Britain's Raducanu best Canada's Fernandez by a score of 6-4, 6-3.
Emma Raducanu Makes History
This match marked many significant milestones: Emma Raducanu is the first-ever qualifier to reach a major final (meaning she had to play in the US Open qualifying rounds to secure her place in the main draw). She's also the first qualifier, then, to win a Grand Slam title. And, ESPN reports that she is the youngest women's Grand Slam champion since 2004.
As if those stats weren't impressive enough, Raducanu is also the first British woman to make - and win - a major final since 1977, when Virginia Wade claimed victory at Wimbledon. Fernandez became just the fourth Canadian player, man or woman, to reach a major final. What's more, the match was the first major men's or women's tennis final in the Open era to feature two unseeded players. It was also the first Grand Slam final between two teens since 1999, when Serena Williams, then 17, competed at the US Open against Swiss player Martina Hingis, 18.
The Long Road to the Finals
British teen Raducanu went into the tournament ranked 150th in women's singles, while Fernandez was ranked 73rd. Fernandez impressed the tennis community by beating US Open singles defending champ and world No. 3 Naomi Osaka, 2016 US Open winner Angelique Kerber from Germany, as well as Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and Belarus's Aryna Sabalenka, currently ranked No. 5 and No. 2 respectively. Fernandez and Raducanu last met in Round 2 of the girls singles championships at 2018 Wimbledon. Raducanu prevailed, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, as seen in this throwback highlight reel.
Through the energy-packed atmosphere of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the two battled it out for points, trading sharp shots and bringing the pressure. Both fought until the end, but the match concluded with Raducanu edging out Fernandez and falling to the court in celebration. The Brit only made her major debut this year at Wimbledon as a wild card, where she retired in the fourth round, and this marks her very first Grand Slam victory to date. What makes Raducanu's win even more remarkable is that she didn't drop a single set during the entire US Open.
In her own words...
Raducanu congratulated Fernandez during the trophy ceremony, saying that her opponent showcased incredible tennis and has "beaten some of the top players in the world," adding that she aspires to play Fernandez in major finals to come.
The future of women's tennis and just the depth of the game right now is so great. I think every single player in the women's draw definitely has a shot at winning any tournament, so I hope that the next generation can follow in the steps of some of the greatest legends. - Emma Raducanu
Relive the magic from this gasp-inducing nail-biter of a match - this photo gallery says it all.
