US Open 2021: Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez fix sensational finals
- By sennenqshop/li>
- 372
- 17/02/2023
Teen final at the US Open: Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu surprisingly duel for the title at the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.
by SIDlast edited: 09/10/2021, 06:21 a.m
The 19-year-old Canadian Fernandez prevailed in her semifinals despite initial problems against the world number two Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus 7: 6 (7: 3), 4: 6, 6: 4. 18-year-old Briton Raducanu followed her with a dominant 6-1, 6-4 win over Greek Maria Sakkari.
"I really, really wanted to reach the final," said Fernandez. "Aryna wanted it too. I don't know how the last ball went in." Raducanu said: "I can't believe it. I'm a qualifier so I don't have any paper pressure in the final."
Fernandez throws Kerber out
For the first time in 22 years, two teenagers are in the final in New York, which takes place on Saturday (10 p.m. / Eurosport). In 1999 Serena Williams (USA) prevailed against Martina Hingis (Switzerland).
On the way to her first big title match, Fernandez eliminated, among others, the four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka from Japan, the German number one Angelique Kerber and the fifth in the world rankings Elina Switolina from Ukraine. Raducanu has not dropped a set throughout the tournament and is the first qualifier to ever make it to the final of a major.