UK’s Emma Raducanu wins US Open in historic final
United Kingdom’s (UK) Emma Raducanu’s extraordinary run at the US Open finished in glorious fashion in New York as the 18-year-old became Britain’s first female singles Grand Slam champion after 44 years.
According to details, Raducanu, the first qualifier ever to reach a Grand Slam final, once again rose to the occasion, beating the 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 with a remarkable display of big hitting and composure. Just three months after making her debut on the main women’s tour, Raducanu became the youngest Grand Slam singles champion since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004.
She is also the first woman ever to win the title in only her second Grand Slam tournament.
Raducanu had made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon, where she became the youngest British woman in the open era to reach the fourth round. As the world No 150, she is the lowest ranked player ever to win the US Open, though Kim Clijsters did not even have a world ranking when she won the title in 2009, having just returned to competition after having a baby. Raducanu will now climb to No 24 in next week’s updated world rankings list.
Having come through qualifying, she lifted the title by winning nine matches in the space of 17 days and without dropping a set in any of them.