| US Open 2021 |
|---|
| Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Date: 30 August-12 September |
| Coverage: Daily radio commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live/BBC Sport website and app, with selected live text commentaries and match reports on the website and app |
Emma Raducanu ended Britain's 44-year wait for a women's Grand Slam singles champion as she beat Leylah Fernandez to win the US Open in the most thrilling style.
The 18-year-old ended her scarcely believable run in New York with a 6-4 6-3 win over her 19-year-old Canadian opponent in a high-quality 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 at 5-3 but cut her leg as she went break point down, leading to a medical time-out and a clearly irritated Fernandez expressing her frustration to the match official.
However, Raducanu shrugged off the delay, saving a further break point before closing out her third championship point.
The two shared a warm hug before Raducanu headed up the stairs at Arthur Ashe Stadium to celebrate with her support box.
Raducanu was cheered on by an emotional Virginia Wade, who was the last British woman to win a major trophy at Wimbledon in 1977.
Emma Raducanu is the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam and has done so without dropping a set
"It means so much to have Virginia Wade here and also Tim Henman," Raducanu said in her on-court speech.
"They are British icons and for me to follow in their footsteps gave me the belief I could do it."
With the victory, Raducanu becomes:
- The first British female winner at the US Open since Virginia Wade in 1968
- The first qualifier in the Open era to win a Slam
- The youngest women's Slam champion since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004
- The youngest Briton to win a Grand Slam title
- The first woman to win the US Open without dropping a set since Serena Williams in 2014
She will take home £1.8m in prize money, rise to 23 in the world rankings and will become the British number one on Monday.
Raducanu will also know that she has starred in one of the biggest moments in British sporting history – and captured the imagination of the fans at home and in New York.
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The rise & rise of Raducanu
Astonishing. Ridiculous. Meteoric. Unbelievable. Take your pick – but no word can ever really sum up what Raducanu has achieved.
Two weeks ago, Raducanu had a flight booked back to the UK, just in case she did not come through qualifying in New York. Seventeen days later, she has lifted the trophy in front of a rapturous crowd.
Raducanu did not just come through qualifying: she dominated the tournament. The most games she lost in one set in her entire run in New York – five – came in the second round of qualifying.
It is not just that Raducanu has kept on winning, but she has done it with such dominance. She did not drop a set en route to the final, despite meeting Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and in-form Maria Sakkari on the way.
In the big moments, she has held her nerve, trusting in her power and serve, even when she saw two championship points go by in the final.
This is someone who, two months ago, was collecting her A-Level results. She only made her WTA main-draw debut in June. All this has happened so quickly, and yet not once has Raducanu not looked like she belongs.
With all the attention on Raducanu after Wimbledon – as well as questions from some about her mental toughness – she could have easily been overwhelmed.
Instead, she trusted in herself, hired a new coach in Andrew Richardson and went to America to play in the various events.
No-one could have seen this coming; not the ease with which Raducanu would brush her opponents aside, or the calmness with which she would approach every match.
But Raducanu always believed. And she will leave New York as the US Open champion.
Emma Raducanu received an A* and A in maths and economics in her A-Levels – and then won the US Open two months later
'An almost perfect performance' – analysis
Former British number one Laura Robson on BBC Radio 5 Live: "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?
"She played an almost perfect performance in her first Grand Slam final. You have to think there will be so many more."
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash: "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.
"She hits so cleanly. I cannot come up with a reason for this to happen. It does not make sense at all. Her performance is mindboggling."
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller: "I have never seen anything like this and I suspect if I work in this business for another 20 years I won't see anything like it."
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Nerves? What nerves?
A full Arthur Ashe Stadium – which holds almost 24,000 people – is one of the most intimidating sights in tennis, but neither player looked fazed as they walked out on to the biggest stage of their career.
Fernandez had more of the crowd support, given that she has ousted the second, third and fifth seed in New York, but there was still good support for Raducanu.
The first three games lasted for 23 minutes, both players showing a devastating array of cross-court punches and fiery returns of serve, and they traded breaks as they found their footing.
As she has done throughout the tournament, Raducanu dug herself out from 0-30 down several times, stepping forward, playing more aggressively and finding her first serves.
That gave her the confidence to attack Fernandez's second serve and put herself on top. She closed out the first set with a forehand down the line, turning and pumping her fist towards her box before letting out a yell of "come on!" to the crowd as they rose to applaud.
Fernandez has shown tenacity throughout the tournament and she did so here, saving three break points in her first service game to stop Raducanu taking a 2-0 lead in the second.
She then found the break, adjusting to hit Raducanu's serves better, and it looked as though the momentum had swung the way of the young Canadian.
However, there is a reason Raducanu has not dropped a set in New York. At the changeover she sat quietly, eyes closed, before again increasing her tempo and creating the break opportunity.
She broke with the shot of the match – a stunning forehand pass, made from almost off the court, that left Fernandez stranded at the net.
Two championship points came and went on the Fernandez serve, saved once again by brave hitting, but Raducanu did not falter despite taking a nasty cut to the leg as she slid behind the baseline.
It was an odd interlude in what was an entertaining final that proved that the future of women's tennis is bright.
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Comment posted by mdoc01, at 23:18 11 Sepmdoc01
23:18 11 SepExcellent performance and thank you Channel 4 for putting it on terrestrial tv!!210322
Comment posted by Hindsight if only, at 23:21 11 SepHindsight if only
23:21 11 SepSports personality of the year voting closed Emma just walked it, brilliant performance.171260
Comment posted by ajax, at 23:20 11 Sepajax
23:20 11 SepWell done Emma!! You’ve done your country proud. You’re going to be going places in the world of tennis now. Oh, and thank you Channel 4 for showing the match live. (BBC take note – this is what we want our licence fee money spent on)155068
Comment posted by Pa, at 23:21 11 SepPa
23:21 11 SepFrom qualifiers to US open champion at 18 and without dropping a set!
That is an incredible achievement!
Way to go Emma!105121
Comment posted by Cymraes27, at 23:18 11 SepCymraes27
23:18 11 SepThank you to Channel 4 for showing this! Hopefully this will go on to inspire girls across the country to pick up a racket!90427
Comment posted by on vacation, at 23:19 11 Sepon vacation
23:19 11 SepNever thought I’d have tears in my eyes, but I do
Absolutely unbelievable. So wonderful for Emma Raducanu and British tennis. And how good was Fernandez? What an incredible game
I’m now going to have a good laugh at the trolls on here saying she’s not British and even funnier that she is Canadian. Remember…they are just button pushers. Enjoy people :)91071
Comment posted by jude nelson, at 23:36 11 Sepjude nelson
23:36 11 SepFor the emboldened racists trying to troll, she’s more British than our current pm and people actually like her. So give it a rest, leave this to the adults and we will remark at one of the best finals ever83783
Comment posted by Welsh Rare Bit, at 23:39 11 SepWelsh Rare Bit
23:39 11 SepA qualifier winning would be a story in itself. An 18yr old in just their 2nd major tournament winning would be a story in itself. A player winning without dropping a set would be a story in itself. A British woman winning a major tournament would be a story in itself. For all four stories to collide simultaneously is just insane!!!6637
Comment posted by Mido12, at 23:26 11 SepMido12
23:26 11 SepEmma Raducano and Great Britain 1, Racists 0825184
Comment posted by Bigrock, at 23:24 11 SepBigrock
23:24 11 SepAs we say in Yorkshire: “That’ll do.”57034
Comment posted by Telefunken U47, at 23:18 11 SepTelefunken U47
23:18 11 SepThat’s sports personality of the year sorted48241
Comment posted by Sveti Ars, at 23:48 11 SepSveti Ars
23:48 11 SepMy cat is older than Emma Raducanu.4219
Comment posted by Jime, at 23:23 11 SepJime
23:23 11 Sep👏Congratulations Emma, superb performance. A remarkable achievement for someone so young not dropping a single set36110
Comment posted by Lasagne295, at 23:18 11 SepLasagne295
23:18 11 SepFirst women’s final I have watched …. Might be watching more … two great players simply having a go !!! Excellent stuff !!36112
Comment posted by shed upper yaface, at 23:22 11 Sepshed upper yaface
23:22 11 SepThat was a brilliant match from both players
Absolutely fantastic Emma 👏 👏3048
Comment posted by jude nelson, at 23:24 11 Sepjude nelson
23:24 11 SepNo bandwagon jumping jingoistic nonsense…that was phenomenal. Not just the final but the whole tournament. Just destroyed it. That is a player who is looking at top 10.30211
Comment posted by lancyblue, at 23:22 11 Seplancyblue
23:22 11 SepNot usually given to patriotism, but well done girl, fantastic, life changing achievement. 👏☺️🥰22416
Comment posted by Allio, at 23:30 11 SepAllio
23:30 11 SepI hope Leylah is not too irritated because Emma called a medical time out. She didn’t look too happy about it but her leg ineeded to be seen to.21715
Comment posted by Wee Brian, at 23:19 11 SepWee Brian
23:19 11 SepUnbelievable, phenomenal, sensational. Incredible Emma!20411
Comment posted by JonH, at 23:38 11 SepJonH
23:38 11 SepNo egos
No gamesmanship
No ‘one eye on the money’
No tantrums
No bad losers
Great tennis, loads of effort and entertainment. Congratulations to both players. The best US women’s final in 10 years.1586