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Emma Raducanu wins the US Open after beating Leylah Fernandez in straight sets
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Raducanu did not drop a set through qualifying and the main draw
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Raducanu is the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam and the first British woman since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977
Britain’s Emma Raducanu completed a Grand Slam fairytale on Saturday by beating Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in the battle of the teens to be crowned U.S. Open champion.
The 18-year-old became the first-ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam title and the first British woman to hoist a major trophy since Virginia Wade triumphed at Wimbledon in 1977.
The first Grand Slam final — men or women — to be contested by two unseeded players was an improbable matchup that no one could have predicted, featuring 150th-ranked qualifier Raducanu and little-known Fernandez ranked 73rd.
All the more remarkable was that Raducanu’s march to the title required 10 matches, including three wins in qualifying, and she did it without dropping a single set along the way.
10:56 PM
Fernandez was not happy with the delay
10:54 PM
This is funny…
10:53 PM
Scenes at Emma’s local club
10:48 PM
Raducanu reacts
First of all, I really want to congratulate Leylah and her team on an incredible fortnight. She played some incredible tennis and beat some of the top players in the world so it was an incredibly difficult match but I thought the level was extremely high, and I hope that we play each other and many more tournaments and hopefully finals.
For the three weeks I spent in New York, I would say that having a such a supportive team like I have over there – my coach, the LTA, my agent, everyone in that team and everyone back home who isn’t here but watching on TV – thank you so much for all your support over the years.
And most of all I would say thank you to everyone here, New York. Thank you all for making me feel so at home from my first qualifying match, all the way to the final. I’ve loved playing in front of you and you’ve really spurred me on in some very difficult moments and I hope that me and Leylah put on a good performance today.
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 of winning at any tournament. I hope that the next generation can follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest legends, for example, Billie Jean right here and everyone that’s at the top of the game right now.
To have such British legends and icons – for me to follow in their footsteps, it really helps and definitely gave me the belief that I could actually do it.
Leylah was always going to play great tennis, always going to fight – that’s just the competitor she is and that’s why she’s here in the final so I knew that I’d have to dig deep…. I was just praying not for a double fault, but we got through it, and I think just staying in the moment and focusing on what I had to do and my process and the mindset just really helped in those tough times.
10:44 PM
A message from the Queen
10:38 PM
Gary Lineker takes a break from MOTD
10:36 PM
Andy Roddick tells no lies here…
10:34 PM
Emma Raducanu’s US Open triumph and career in numbers
44 – years since the previous British winner or finalist at a women’s grand slam singles tournament when Virginia Wade, a spectator in New York in recent days, won Wimbledon in 1977.
2.5million – prize money in US dollars for Raducanu’s efforts over the last fortnight, equivalent to £1.8m. Raducanu’s career earnings before this tournament stood at a combined 303,376 dollars, or around £219,000.
18 – Raducanu’s age, with just 10 weeks separating her and 19-year-old Fernandez.
150 – Raducanu’s world ranking going into the tournament.
73 – Fernandez’s singles ranking.
10 – matches in Raducanu’s stunning run in New York, from the first of three qualifying rounds and all the way through the 128-strong draw to the final.
0 – sets dropped on the way to the final, winning 18 in succession across qualifying and the main draw.
4 – Raducanu reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on her grand slam main draw debut, before retiring on medical grounds against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
11 – seeding of her quarter-final opponent Belinda Bencic, the world number 12 and the highest-ranked player Raducanu has beaten. Semi-final opponent Maria Sakkari was seeded 17th.
1 – Raducanu is the first qualifier ever to reach a grand slam final.
17 – court on which Raducanu and Fernandez played at Wimbledon in the 2018 girls’ singles, with the latter’s name displayed on the scoreboard as Leylah Annie Fernandez. Raducanu won 6-2 6-4.
5ft 9in – Raducanu’s height.
693,000 – Instagram followers, with 257,000 on Raducanu’s Twitter account.
10:32 PM
‘Emma Raducanu shows grace, guile and defiance to become the undisputed Queen of New York’
Truly, we have never seen her equal. With grace, poise, stamina and quite stunning mental fortitude, Emma Raducanu, an unassuming 18-year-old who started this summer diligently revising for her A-levels, confirmed herself here tonight as the undisputed queen of New York. The more the reality dawned, the more that she felt that the robes fit. Without dropping a set, without experiencing a tie-break, without enduring so much as a set tighter than 6-4, she swept into history on a tide of euphoria.
Oliver Brown reports from New York on a historic night. Read more here.
10:30 PM
Henman reacts
She has made it look ridiculous easy but it’s been a bit closer than the scoreline has suggested. It’s that mental toughness that she’s got in spades… The quality of the tennis, how hard they were both fighting, hitting winners, such good quality, but she’s got belief, she’s never blinked, she’s kept going for her shots, she falls over, she’s got to have a medical timeout, serving for the match, serving for the championship, when she’s down a break point – It’s a joke.
She’s gonna win more of these – she’s that good. This is not some flash in the pan fairytale. She’s playing top five tennis right now, the world is going to go absolutely crazy – it’s going to get turned upside down but she’s got good people around her. She’s going to have to soak it up, make adjustments, but it’s gonna be one hell of a ride for a long time – as long as she can stay injury free.
10:23 PM
Sweet Carolineeeeeeeeee
Sweet Caroline blares out on the PA system on Arthur Ashe and Emma is singing along. What a moment.
10:20 PM
Marcus Rashford reacts
10:17 PM
Oliver Brown – Telegraph’s Chief Sports Writer
10:14 PM
THE WINNING MOMENT
10:11 PM
Raducanu* 6-4, 6-3 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Fernandez forehand winner down the line, 0-15. Fernandez forehand long, 15-15. Raducanu forehand winner, 30-15.
Raducanu nets a forehand volley after a powerful Fernandez pass, 30-30. Deep shots by Fernandez, Raducanu is down and her defensive forehand lob is long.
Raducanu has cut her knee when sliding. She receives treatment from the trainer. Still break point for Fernandez. Deep breaths.
Fernandez forehand long, deuce. Raducanu forehand down the line is just long, break point Fernandez.
Raducanu overhead winner, deuce. SO TENSE. Fernandez backhand long, THIRD CHAMPIONSHIP POINT.
RADUCANU ACE TO WIN THE US OPEN!!!!!!
10:00 PM
Raducanu 6-4, 5-3 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Fernandez forehand long, 0-15. Raducanu forehand just wide, 15-15. Raducanu return into the net, 30-15.
Great defence by Raducanu and Fernandez nets a forehand, 30-30.
A net cord finally in Raducanu’s favour. CHAMPIONSHIP POINT. Raducanu backhand wide, deuce.
Raducanu forehand winner down the line is too much for Fernandez. 2ND CHAMPIONSHIP POINT.
Raducanu forehand into the net, nervy shot that, deuce. Fernandez forehand down the winner. Wow.
Fernandez holds when Raducanu nets a backhand.
09:51 PM
Raducanu* 6-4, 5-2 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Raducanu ace to start the game, 15-0. Fernandez forehand winner, 15-15. Fernandez backhand wide, 30-15.
Deep Raducanu forehand and Fernandez nets a backhand, 40-15. Fernandez backhand return long.
RADUCANU IS ONE GAME AWAY FROM THE US OPEN TITLE.
09:48 PM
Raducanu 6-4, 4-2 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Goodness me. 83mph backhand winner from Raducanu, 15-15. Another backhand winner from Raducanu, 15-30.
Fernandez backhand wide, 15-40. Two break points. Fernandez saves the first with a big first serve.
RADUCANU FOREHAND WINNER DOWN THE LINE. WOW. RADUCANU BREAKS.
09:43 PM
Raducanu* 6-4, 3-2 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Huge Fernandez forehand down the line, 30-30. Fernandez backhand return wide, 40-30.
Raducanu holds after another unreturned serve. A momentum shift for sure.
09:40 PM
Raducanu 6-4, 2-2 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Wow, Raducanu forehand return winner, 0-30. Raducanu backhand return is just wide, 15-30.
Raducanu backhand winner, 30-40. Break point. RADUCANU BACKHAND WINNER TO BREAK BACK.
09:35 PM
Raducanu* 6-4, 1-2 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Raducanu backhand into the net, 15-30. Another bit of fortune for Fernandez as her backhand clips the tape and drops on Raducanu’s side.
Raducanu saves the first. And the second when Fernandez nets a forehand return.
Big first serve by Raducanu, ad. Raducanu forehand into the net, deuce.
Excellent forehand return by Fernandez and she earns a break point with a forehand winner.
Fernandez breaks when Raducanu nets a backhand. Definite momentum shift.
09:29 PM
Raducanu 6-4, 1-1 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Fernandez double fault, her fifth of the match, 0-30. Fernandez forehand into the net, 0-40. Three break points.
Fernandez saves the first. And the second with a backhand winner down the line. And the third with a wide serve that Raducanu fails to get back in play.
Another big first serve by Fernandez, ad. And she holds when Raducanu nets a backhand. Huge service hold.
09:24 PM
Second set: Raducanu* 6-4, 1-0 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Fernandez nets a backhand, 30-15. Fernandez shanks a forehand return, 40-15. Raducanu forehand winner to hold.
09:20 PM
EMMA RADUCANU IS ONE SET AWAY FROM WINNING HER FIRST GRAND SLAM
09:18 PM
Raducanu 6-4 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Deep Raducanu backhand and Fernandez puts a forehand long, 15-30. Raducanu backhand return winner, 15-40. TWO SET POINTS.
Raducanu backhand long, 30-40. Great attacking tennis by Fernandez and Raducanu’s lobs drops wide, deuce.
Fernandez forehand long, third set point. Raducanu backhand return into the net. Deuce.
Raducanu on the attack again and Fernandez can’t get her forehand back in play. RADUCANU FOREHAND WINNER! Raducanu is a set away from the US Open title.
09:11 PM
Latest update from US Correspondent Jamie Johnson in New York
In these early stages it is Fernandez getting the louder cheers inside the Arthur Ashe stadium. New York is only hours from the Canadian border and there are plenty of maple leaves to spot in the crowd.
However, some of the most vociferous supporters are clearly British. There is a man in a Union Jack jacket, a girl in an England football shirt and sat in the photographers pit by the side of the court is Tim Henman, who has constantly been in Raducanu’s ear.
09:10 PM
Raducanu* 5-4 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Fernandez forehand long, 30-15. Great hustle by Fernandez but she just puts a backhand long, 40-15.
Fernandez forehand long and Raducanu holds. We’re in the business end of the set now.
09:07 PM
Raducanu 4-4 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Fourth Fernandez double fault to open the game. But she follows it with her second ace of the match.
Great forehand return by Raducanu, 15-30. Raducanu forehand wide after being dragged side to side by Fernandez, 30-30.
Big Fernandez first serve and forehand winner into open court, 40-30. Fernandez with a wild forehand, deuce.
Too good from Fernandez as she whips a forehand down the line. And Fernandez holds when Raducanu’s backhand goes long.
09:01 PM
Raducanu* 4-3 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Fernandez backhand volley winner, 0-15. Raducanu volley winner after grueling rally, 15-15.
Good defence by Fernandez and Raducanu puts a drive forehand long, 15-30. Fernandez forehand return into the net, 30-30.
Raducanu crushes a forehand winner down the line, 40-30. A series of great forehand by Raducanu gets Fernandez on the run but the Briton holds on.
The quality of this match is insane.
08:56 PM
Raducanu 3-3 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Raducanu is disappointed with herself after putting a forehand long, 15-15. Fernandez double fault, 15-30.
Raducanu goes just wide with a forehand down the line, 30-30. Raducanu forehand return into the net, 40-30.
Fortune favours Fernandez as her forehand down the line clips the net and drops short on Raducanu’s side.
08:50 PM
Raducanu* 3-2 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Fernandez backhand winner down the line, 0-15. Raducanu double fault, 0-30. Wide Raducanu serve and followed by a forehand winner into the open court, 15-30.
Fernandez return long, 30-30. Another excellent wide serve by Raducanu. And she holds when Fernandez puts a backhand return long.
08:47 PM
Raducanu 2-2 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Slight momentum shift as Fernandez moves to 30-0. Lovely touch by Fernandez with the backhand drop shot, 40-0.
Raducanu pulls it back to 40-30 as Fernandez hits a wild forehand. But the Canadian holds with a big first serve.
08:42 PM
Raducanu* 2-1 Fernandez (*denotes server)
Defensive forehand long by Fernandez, 15-15. Raducanu attacks with her backhand and draws another error from Fernandez, 30-15.
Raducanu backhand long, break point Fernandez. Great serve down the T by Raducanu and Fernandez can’t return it. Deuce.
Raducanu backhand into the net, second break point Fernandez. Fernandez backhand into the net, deuce.
Huge Fernandez return and she finishes with a forehand winner, third break point. Gutsy 97mph second serve by Raducanu and Fernandez nets a forehand return.
Raducanu double fault, fourth break point. Raducanu backhand into the net and Fernandez gets the break. We’re back on serve.
08:33 PM
Raducanu 2-0 Fernandez* (*denotes server)
Raducanu with another backhand winner to start the game. Fernandez double fault, 0-30. Fernandez forehand wide, three break points.
Fernandez saves the first when Raducanu goes long with a forehand. Fernandez saves the second as she turns defense into offense and finishes with a forehand winner.
Good second serve by Fernandez and Raducanu puts a forehand return wide. Deuce.
Drive backhand winner by Raducanu, fourth break point. Fernandez ace. Deuce.
Fernandez double fault, fifth break point. Fernandez attacks and Raducanu nets a backhand. Deuce.
Raducanu backhand return into the net, ad Fernandez. Fernandez drags a forehand wide. Deuce.
More attacking tennis by Fernandez and Raducanu puts a backhand long, ad Fernandez. Fernandez backhand long, deuce.
Fernandez backhand wide, sixth break point for Raducanu. Fernandez nets a forehand. RADUCANU BREAKS.
08:22 PM
First set: Emma Raducanu* 1-0 Leylah Fernandez (*denotes server)
Fast start by Fernandez who drills a cross court backhand for a winner. Raducanu forehand winner, 30-15.
First serve down the T is unreturned by Fernandez. Raducanu nets a forehand, 40-30. Raducanu backhand winner, her first of the match. She will rack them up today.
08:21 PM
Nearly time
08:12 PM
Here we go!
Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez walk onto Arthur Ashe stadium and receive an amazing ovation.
08:07 PM
Prediction time!
We are moments away now. Tell me who you think will win in the comments!
08:02 PM
This could prove pivotal
07:54 PM
Well wishes for Emma on the street where she lives with her parents in Bromley
07:44 PM
9/11 anniversary
A ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 is scheduled to take place in Arthur Ashe Stadium before the final.
A “9-11-01” stencil will be on the court and female cadets from the US Military Academy will unfurl a large US flag during a performance of the national anthem by the “In the Heights” movie co-star Daphne Rubin-Vega while accompanied by Broadway musicians.
07:37 PM
Pre-match Raducanu thoughts
It means a lot to me to reach the final. I honestly think that was some of the best tennis I’ve played out there [in the semi-final]. The crowd really pushed me through some really tough moments – I just love playing in New York. From a young age my parents were really big on staying calm under pressure, in all aspects of life really. It’s something that I’ve grown with and that’s helped me when I’ve been on the biggest stages.
I didn’t expect to be here in the final. We were joking at the start that it’ll be a three-week trip in New York but to actually be here is incredible, and I just want to thank everyone. To both be in a final of a grand slam so young, it’s just incredible to see how far we’ve come. I think that being young you just feel fearless, there’s no pressure on you to win.
Playing Leylah, technically I’m the qualifier and there’s no pressure on me again. I just can’t wait to get out there and have a swing.
07:31 PM
Raducanu will take Konta’s title as British No 1 on Monday
07:26 PM
How Emma got to the final…
07:21 PM
22 years since the last Grand Slam final between two teenagers
07:11 PM
British success already!
Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American Desirae Krawczyk reunited to cap brilliant Grand Slam campaigns on Saturday beating Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo 7-5 6-2 to lift the US Open mixed doubles title.
Krawczyk bagged her third consecutive Grand Slam mixed doubles title, having triumphed at Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier this year.
Salisbury was also competing in his third straight mixed doubles Grand Slam final but was on the losing side at Wimbledon, where Krawczyk partnered with Neal Skupski.
For Salisbury the win completed a US Open doubles double having also won the men’s championship on Friday with Rajeev Ram.
The 29-year-old Salisbury becomes the first player to sweep US Open men’s and mixed doubles titles since Bob Bryan in 2010.
Krawczyk and Salisbury broke open a tight contest with a break to go up 6-5 before holding serve to take the set.
The duo carried that momentum into the second with an early break to move ahead 2-0 and would break Olmos and Arevalo again to go up 5-2 before serving out the match.
06:59 PM
‘A huge opportunity in the women’s game’
Emma Raducanu’s US Open final against Leylah Fernandez is an inspiring moment for the women’s game, according to the young Canadian’s coach and father.
The pair will meet at Flushing Meadows on Saturday evening in the first all-teenage grand slam final for more than 20 years. Raducanu and Fernandez are just two months apart in age and share an immigrant background, with Raducanu born in Canada to a Romanian father and Chinese mother before moving to the UK aged two while Fernandez has Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Filipino heritage.
Jorge Fernandez, a former footballer who moved to Canada as a young child, said: “I see they’re both bringing a type of game that is not common right now on the circuit.
“I see that they bring a flair that is very unique for them. I’m glad that they’re touching the Asian community. I think that’s a huge opportunity in the women’s game.
“I think it’s just positive for the game. Obviously I want Leylah to win. That goes without saying. But I just think that the match-up and what we’re seeing, those two ladies are touching a lot of young girls. “I’m getting messages about, ‘Please pass this to Leylah’, little girls saying, ‘You’re making us believe’. This can only be good for the tennis game and the WTA altogether.”
06:44 PM
How Raducanu has prepared today
Emma Raducanu was put through a heavy hitting session earlier this afternoon, with special attention paid to down-the-line and crosscourt winners, writes Jamie Johnson.
Supported by more than 100 people sitting in the stand behind practice court one, Raducanu gave a wide smile and started giggling as shouts of “We love you Emma” rang out.
She is clearly still getting used to the spotlight but was laser-focused as her coach Andrew Richardson pummeled flat forehands across the court at her.
Tim Henman, the former British number one, was courtside on media duties for Amazon, but stopped to offer some final words of advice.
The 18-year-old looked strong and fired up, specifically asking to work on her backhand returns.
Her opponent, Leylah Fernandez, is left handed and has a big forehand, so Raducanu can expect to be using her backhand a lot this evening.
Afterwards, she told the Telegraph that she was “feeling good” and that she was “excited” for the match.
06:32 PM
What happened the last time Emma and Leylah played each other
06:27 PM
Pictures: Raducanu looking calm from practice court
Our reporter Jamie Johnson took these pictures of the British teenager leaving her warm-up.
If there are any nerves, she’s doing very well not to show them.
06:20 PM
Emma Raducanu’s road to the final
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R1 def. Vogele
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R2 def. Zhang
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R3 def. Sorribes Tormo
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R16 def. Rogers
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QF def. Bencic [11]
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SF def. Sakkari [17]
And yet to drop a set in the tournament…
06:00 PM
Emma Raducanu vs Leylah Fernandez: the countdown begins
Hello and welcome to coverage of a historic day for British tennis.
Emma Raducanu, 18, plays in the US Open women’s final against 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez from Canada.
Raducanu is bidding to become the first British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977 to lift a grand slam title.
On the line is a prize cheque for £1.8million – more than eight times Raducanu’s current career earnings – as well as 2,000 ranking points, which would move the teenager up from her current standing of 150 to 23.
Even defeat would see Raducanu climb to 32nd in the rankings, putting her in contention to be seeded for her debut at the Australian Open in January.
And former British player Naomi Cavaday, who was part of Raducanu’s coaching team earlier in her career, said the teenager is reaping the rewards of the demands she places on herself and those around her.
Cavaday told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s really to do with her and who she is as a person. She’s a phenomenal worker. She demands so much of everyone around her, but demands more of herself.
“You walk into a session with her and you know you’ve got to be on your game and you’ve got to be able to answer the questions and explain things as best as possible.
“She is always on the search for information and knowledge and to learn and to get better, and that’s why we see her in this situation.”
Fernandez is just two months older than Raducanu and the pair have known each other since they competed at under-12 level.
“We first encountered each other because I was born in Toronto and she was Canadian, so we kind of made a little relationship back then,” said Raducanu, who won their only previous meeting in the girls’ singles at Wimbledon three years ago.
“Obviously since then we’ve both come very far in our games and as people. I’m sure it’s going to be extremely different to when we last encountered each other. But we’re both playing good tennis so it will be a good match.”
The match is due to get underway shortly after 9pm. Stay with us for full build up and game-by-game updates.