Dylan Bettencourt
Teenager Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title when she defeated Leylah Fernandez in straight sets to win the US Open on Saturday.
The 18-year-old made history as she became Britain’s first female Grand Slam champion since Virginia Wade in 1977. Raducanu’s fairytale run to the title began on 25 August in the qualifying rounds as a non-seeded player.
Then she won ten matches in a row to be crowned US Open champion without dropping a single set. Before this she had never been in the main event of a Grand Slam and she had not even won a Women’s Tennis Association match.
Raducanu’s flights were booked for after the qualifying rounds but she did not need those tickets.
“It was an incredibly difficult match,” Raducanu said after the final.
“I thought the level was extremely high. I hope we play each other in many more tournaments and hopefully finals.”
Talk about a change of fortunes! A few months ago, the teenager from Orpington was writing school exams and has now won R35 million. In her entire tennis career she has earned about half a million rand.
Raducanu is also the youngest Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004 as a 17-year-old.
Among the many to congratulate the Brit was Queen Elizabeth II who said in a statement: “It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age and is testament to hard work and dedication.”
Image source: @USOpen
