Raducanu crushes Sakkari, meets Leylah Fernandez in teenage US Open final

Raducanu, who stormed into the semi-final after beating the reigning Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, dominated proceedings from the onset against Sakkari.

Briton Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier to reach the U.S. Open final on Thursday by beating Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe stadium.

With British tennis royalty Tim Henman and Virginia Wade looking on from the stands, Raducanu fended off seven break points across her first two service games and capitalized on a trio of double faults from Sakkari on the way to a 5-0 lead in the first set.

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Down a break in the second set, Sakkari then fought off five break points in a near 10-minute seventh game but the 18-year-old Raducanu would not be denied and went on to seal the match to set up a final against fellow teen Leylah Fernandez of Canada.

"The time here in New York has gone so fast," she said. "I can't actually believe it."

Raducanu will now take on Canadian Leylah Fernandez in an all-teenage US Open final on Sunday.

Believe it, @EmmaRaducanu

You're going to the #USOpen final! pic.twitter.com/x9LsPp6Rog

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2021

 

Earlier in the day, Fernandez crushed the second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 to enter her maiden Grand Slam final. Fernandez has been on a roll in the tournament, having taken down Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina on her way to the semifinal.