Emma Raducanu clinched her first major championship title by defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday, just three months after delving into her professional tennis journey.
Raducanu’s extraordinary performance in the tournament has been hailed as one of the most remarkable breakthroughs in recent tennis history. Throughout the entirety of the US Open, including the qualifier round, Raducanu did not lose a single set on her path to victory.
Making her mark in the world of tennis, the 18-year-old achieved several milestones with this win. She becomes the first woman in the Open Era to secure a grand slam title in only her second appearance, following her debut at Wimbledon earlier this year, where she reached the fourth round. Moreover, Raducanu is the first British woman to claim a major championship since Virginia Wade’s triumph at Wimbledon in 1977. At her young age, she stands as the second youngest player ever to win a grand slam title, with the record held by Maria Sharapova in 2004. Additionally, she proudly holds the distinction of being the first qualifier, regardless of gender, to emerge victorious in a grand slam final.
Reflecting on the challenging match, Raducanu remarked, “It was an incredibly tough battle, but I felt the quality of play was exceptionally high. I look forward to facing each other in many more tournaments and, hopefully, finals in the future.”
