TEENAGE talents Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu have done the unthinkable and reached the 2021 US Open women’s singles final. The pair’s combined age comes to just 37, with the unseeded 19-year-old Fernandez toppling Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka, whilst the 18-year-old qualifier Raducanu stunned Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari.

Expected to finally meet her match in the semis against the powerful Sabalenka, the young Canadian found herself 1-4 down early, but Fernandez fought her way back to level, and then take it to a first set tiebreak. She held her nerve to win it 7-3 in the tiebreaker, and whilst Sabalenka hit back in the second to level the scores, the 19-year-old again found her confidence to run it out and win in three sets, 7-6 4-6 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes.

“That’s years and years and years of hard work, and tears and blood, everything, on-court, off-court sacrifices,” Fernandez said post-match. “I just wanted to be in the final. I really wanted it. I fought for every point. Aryna fought for the same thing. I don’t know how I got that last point, but I’m glad I did.”

Fernandez might have had less power, though she still hit 26 winners (to Sabalenka’s 45), and had far fewer unforced errors (23-52), with a calculated, measured game. Also serving six aces and winning 51 per cent of her second serve points, Fernandez was able to remain composed late in the deciding set, when many would have expected the teenager to wilt on the big stage. Instead, it was Sabalenka who left empty handed again, improving her Grand Slam standing in 2021, but still yet to walk away with a title.

“It was definitely a very good match from both of us,” Fernandez said. “She started incredibly well in the beginning, but I’m just glad I was able to stay patient, fight for every point. I was glad in the tiebreaker I was able to be offensive but not overly playing and go for my shots.

“The second set I had my chances, but I did a few mistakes. She jumped on the opportunity to get the set. In the third, it was just a good  battle. We went till the end. I was glad I was able to put that one more ball back in.”

The win over Sabalenka marked her third Top 5 victory of the tournament, having also disposed on reigning champion Naomi Osaka, and Elina Svitolina along the way.

“I believed in my game, but it also has helped me open my eyes that I have no limit to my potential, that I can go three sets against these players, I can play against these top players, and I can win against these top players,” Fernandez said. “I’m just glad to have this experience and see where my tennis game is at, my tennis level is at.

“I’m extremely proud of the way I fought for every point. My mental toughness, that’s been a huge plus for me. I’m just extremely happy with what I’ve achieved this week. Off court I’m just enjoying every minute of it.”

The other semi-final was almost as surprising, with teen qualifier Raducanu blitzing her way through the first set against in-form Sakkari to reach the final. The young gun made history by becoming the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final, and did so emphatically, defeating her Greek opponent, 6-1 6-4 in 83 minutes.

“I think there’s definitely an element of being young and free,” she said during the week about her underdog status. “I think that’s a big weapon and it’s quite a nice feeling to have, playing as the complete underdog. “You just have a free swing. “For us it’s nice to play free, I haven’t experienced it from the other side.”

Raducanu served at a 71 per cent clip, and won 73 and 69 per cent of her points, whilst Sakkari only served with 52 per cent efficiency and struggled off her second serve (34 per cent). Raducanu had 16 less unforced errors (17-33) and still hit the same amount of winners (17). Now she heads into the final hoping to make history against a player who is only marginally older than herself, in a throwback to the 1999 US Open final between Serena Williams and Martina Hingis – both teenagers at the time.

US OPEN SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:

Leylah Fernandez (CAN) defeated [2] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 7-6 4-6 6-4
[Q] Emma Raducanu (GBR) defeated [17] Maria Sakkari (GRE) 6-1 6-4

Picture credit: Darren Carroll/USTA