They were two dream routes, but it was Britain’s Emma Raducanu that ended with her first career Grand Slam title.
Raducanu had the upper hand in two sets of 6-4, 6-3 over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez on Saturday in the women’s singles final at the US Open.
Raducanu ended the debate with his third ace of the game and his third match point.
Fernandez had two opportunities to break at 5-3 in the second set, but she was unable to prolong the suspense. She also had a lot to say during the medical time out requested by her opponent while holding a breakage bullet.
“Leylah played some great tennis,” said Raducanu, who was enjoying a first Grand Slam final. I found the level of play to be very high. I hope we will face each other more times and hope it is in the final. “
Fernandez lacked precision with his serve all afternoon, hitting just 56 percent of his first balls and committing five double faults.
“Unfortunately, I made too many mistakes today. I think Emma noticed it and she took advantage of it, analyzed Fernandez, who was also in her first career Grand Slam final. I’m disapointed. This loss will follow me for quite a while and I believe it will motivate me to train better and improve. “
Only 18 years old, Raducanu had become the first qualifier of the modern era to advance to the final of a Grand Slam tournament. She will now leave Flushing Meadows with the title and without even losing a round.
Raducanu became the youngest major in a major tournament since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004 and the youngest champion in New York since Serena Williams in 1999. Both players were then 17 years old.
The Briton, who was ranked 150th in the world before the start of the fortnight, had a relatively easy draw to advance to the quarter-finals but then showed the way out to Belinda Bencic, Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo, and Maria Sakkari, 17th seed.
“I stayed in the moment and kept my focus on what I had to do and the process. This way of thinking helps me through difficult times, ”said Raducanu.
Fernandez, 19, caused some big surprises by successively beating all-star players Naomi Osaka (no 3), Angelique Kerber (no 16), Elina Svitolina (no 5) and Aryna Sabalenka (no 2).
Fernandez was looking to become the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam title since conquering Ontarian Bianca Andreescu at Flushing Meadows in 2019.
It was the first time since 1999 that two teenage girls faced each other in the final in New York. At the time, Williams got the better of Martina Hingis. It was also the first time in the modern era that two non-seeded players crossed swords for the title at the US Open.
Raducanu more opportunistic
Adopted by New York tennis fans during the fortnight, Fernandez took part in a first career Grand Slam final and she had to dispel the nervousness at the start of the confrontation.
After a long battle in the second game, Fernandez saved five break points, but Raducanu finally took a 2-0 lead on his sixth attempt.
The Canadian, however, played the same trick on her rival in the next game, when she needed four break points to close the gap to 2-1.
Fernandez opened the door for Raducanu in his 5-4 serve game, however, and the Briton saved with the set on her fourth set point.
In the second set, it was Fernandez who was the first to break her opponent to take a 2-1 lead, but she was unable to win her part on serve.
Raducanu dealt the young Canadian player a hard blow in game six. Fernandez once again struggled with her first ball and it was shattered.
Fernandez showed character as she pulled back 5-2 and was on duty. She resisted two match points to force Raducanu to serve for the title.
Carried away by the crowd, Fernandez gave herself a break bullet, but Raducanu requested medical time out when she suffered a scraped left knee. The healer came to heal her wound, giving the two players a few minutes of rest – which didn’t seem to suit the Canadian.
“It’s just a shame that it happened at this point, when I had the momentum,” she observed. It’s sport, it’s tennis. You have to turn the page. “
After saving a second breakage bullet, Raducanu closed the books.
