SCORE
With both teenagers raring to go and determined to make a mark in a historic final, an electric contest was on the cards.
After Raducanu broke Fernandez on her first service in the first set to make it 2-0, the Canadian came back hard to return the favour by breaking the Briton in her following serve and then holding her own to draw level at 2-2. With both players holding on to their serves comfortably till 4-4, a tiebreak loomed large. However, at 5-4, Raducanu came back hard to break Fernandez and seal the first set 6-4.
Fernandez had the upper hand in the second set after breaking her opponent and making it 2-1, but immediately after conceded her serve, making it 2-2. Raducanu then broke again to make it 4-2, making it hard for Fernandez to make a comback.
However, the 19-year-old showed character by saving two championship points on her serve and making it 3-5. With Raducanu serving for the championship, Fernandez yet again put in a valiant fight by earning a break point and breathing life into her championship prospects once again.
But it wasn't to be as Raducanu came back determined after the medical timeout which was taken to nurse a cut on her left knee, and took the game 6-3, and the championship 6-4, 6-3.
With this historic win, Raducanu became the first-ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam major in the Open era, and also the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade's 1977 Wimbledon title.
WHAT THEY SAID :
Emma Raducanu : First of all I would like to congratulate Leylah and her team on an incredible fortnight. She played some incredible tennis and beat some of the top players in the world. It was an incredibly difficult match. The level was extremely high. I hope that we play each other in many more tournaments and hopefully finals.
The future of women's tennis and the depth of the game right now is so great. I think every single player in the women's draw definitely has a shot of winning any tournament. I hope the next generation can follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest legends, for example Billie Jean right here, and everyone that's at the top of their game right now.
Leylah Fernandez : It's incredible. I don't know what to say. Today is going to be hard to recuperate but Emma played amazing so congratulations Emma and to your team. I'm very proud of myself, with the way I played these past two weeks.
I know on this day (9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center) it was especially hard for New York and everyone around them, the United States. I hope I can be as strong and resilient as New York has been the past twenty years.
FINAL SCORE : Emma Raducanu beats Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3.
AND SHE HAS DONE IT!!!!!!!!!! NEW YORK HAS A NEW WINNER
It's advantage Raducanu and Championship Point No.3
Raducanu continues with her knee taped-up.
The match is not yet over as Fernandez earns a break point. Raducanu takes a medical timeout after sustaining a cut on her left knee. Fernandez doesn't seem pleased with the decision and is having a word with officials.
Raducanu serves for the championship!
Raducanu 5-3 Fernandez: Raducanu comes within touching distance but Fernandez holds her nerves to survive two championship points and hold her serve.
Raducanu 5-2 Fernandez: Raducanu holds her serve with ease and is just a game away from the championship.
Raducanu 4-2 Fernandez: Raducanu breaks again! The Briton inches closer to victory as Fernandez's travails with her service continue. Raducanu seals the game with a masterful forehand winner along the baseline.
Raducanu 3-2 Fernandez: With victory and history in sight, Raducanu won't slip-up a second time and holds her serve.
Raducanu 2-2 Fernandez: You break me and I break you back! Raducanu comes back to break Fernandez with a spectacular cross-court winner.
Raducanu 1-2 Fernandez: The Canadian is back into the game after successfully converting her third break point and breaking the Briton. Fernandez looks pumped and is by no means out of the match.
Raducanu 1-1 Fernandez: Fernandez puts in a stellar show to win five points on the trot and hold her serve after being down at 0-40.
Raducanu 1-0 Fernandez: A confident and composed Raducanu breezes past Fernandez as she holds her serve.
Raducanu 6-4 Fernandez: And Raducanu breaks Fernandez to take the first set. After failing to convert three set points, Raducanu grabs the opportunity in the fourth go. The unseeded qualifier is a set away from history.
Raducanu 5-4 Fernandez: The Briton just concedes one point as she holds her serve with ease.
Raducanu 4-4 Fernandez: Fernandez takes the game after deuce. With both players holding their serves quite comfortably after an initial hiccup apiece, the set looks poised to go into a tiebreak.
Raducanu 4-3 Fernandez: Raducanu seals the game with two powerful baseline winners.
Raducanu 3-3 Fernandez: Fernandez draws level at 3-3 after holding her serve.
Raducanu 3-2 Fernandez: Raducanu holds her serve after surviving a brief scare at 0-30 and conceding her second double fault of the match.
Raducanu 2-2 Fernandez: Fernandez makes a strong comeback with her serve to draw level.
Raducanu 2-1 Fernandez: The Canadian returns the favour by breaking Raducanu after failing to capitalise on three break points. Both are fighting it out hard. Both teenagers don't look too comfortable with their serves as Raducanu too lets a double fault slip.
Raducanu 2-0 Fernandez : Raducanu breaks Fernandez after a gruelling game. Fernandez struggles, conceding two double faults.
Fernandez struggles with her serve as the game goes into deuce number 5.
Raducanu 1-0 Fernandez: Raducanu holds her serve quite comfortably.
HERE WE GO!
TOSS UPDATE: Raducanu wins the toss and decides to serve.
AND THE WAIT ENDS : New York is all set to welcome a new winner. The crowd applauds as Radacanu, followed by Leylah Fernandez, walks on to the court at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
With just over ten minutes left for the epic battle, which of the teenagers do you think will come out on top?
MATCH PREVIEW
Tennis fans across the world, with bated breath, will watch history being scripted as Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez face off in the first all-teen final since the 1999 US Open when a 17-year-old Serena Williams beat an 18-year-old Martina Hingis in the final.
While both are unseeded, 18-year-old Emma Raducanu is the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era, and hasn't yet dropped a set in her three qualifiers as well as in her six matches in the main draw.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez has had a much tougher road to the summit clash-- having beaten two Grand Slam winners and two players in the top five on her way to the final.
Both teenagers will look to defy all odds and give their dream run a fairy tale finish as women's tennis looks for its 13th different Grand Slam champion since the 2017 Australian Open.
ROAD TO THE FINAL
EMMA RADUCANU
LEYLAH FERNANDEZ
When and where can you watch Emma Raducanu vs Leylah Fernandez live?
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