British teen Emma Raducanu will face Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the final of the women’s US Open on Saturday, 11 September. Their combined age is 37, younger than the great Serena Williams.

The unseeded duo are the most surprising finalists in the history of the event, but both are fully deserving of their places in one of the biggest matches in tennis.

Besides the prestige of being a Grand Slam winner, there is also a $2.5-million winner’s purse. The runner-up receives $1.25-million. It’s fair to say it’s been a career-changing fortnight for both players.

Raducanu, who came into the US Open as world No 150, has not dropped a set through six matches at Flushing Meadows. She has also become the first player in the Open era to make the final having come through pre-tournament qualifying.

Emma Raducanu of Britain celebrates victory over Maria Sakkari of Greece in the semifinals of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on 9 September 2021. (Photo: TPN/Getty Images)

On Thursday, the 18-year-old Raducanu advanced to the final by comfortably beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-1 6-4. Sakkari was a 2021 Roland Garros semifinalist.

The 19-year-old Fernandez ousted second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(3) 4-6 6-4 in her semifinal. 

It’s been a sensational run by the diminutive Fernandez, who beat defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round, former Wimbledon winner Angie Kerber in the fourth and No 5 seed Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.

“A lot of people doubted me, my family and my dreams,” said Fernandez after her match. “They kept saying ‘no’, that I’m not going to be a professional tennis player, that I should stop and just pursue going to school.

“I remember one teacher, which was actually very funny – at the time it wasn’t, but now I’m laughing. She told me to stop playing tennis, you will never make it, and just focus on school.”

The two teenagers will contest the final on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in America that brought down the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Neither player was born at the time of those attacks.

Here to stay

Raducanu wowed British tennis fans with a run to the fourth round of Wimbledon earlier in 2021, and has charmed spectators in New York with her genuine delight after each match.

Canadian Leylah Fernandez hits a backhand against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the US Open semifinals at Flushing Meadows in New York City on 9 September 2021. (Photo: TPN/Getty Images)

“Since I’ve been in New York for my first-round qualies match I’ve had unbelievable support in New York and you guys have made me feel right at home,” she said.

“In a way my tennis level has surprised me in the way that I’ve managed to step up against some of the best players in the world,” she added.

A win in Saturday’s final would see a jump to No 24 in the rankings for Raducanu, who left school this summer and parted ways with coach Nigel Sears after Wimbledon in favour of her youth coach, Andrew Richardson.

Raducanu now has the chance to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977.

Raducanu was born in Canada to a Romanian father and Chinese mother and moved to Britain when she was two. Because of her mixed-race heritage, she has been compared to Osaka in terms of marketability potential.

Marketing experts believe Raducanu has all the ingredients to become one of the biggest stars in sport, with her bubbly personality, obvious talent and multicultural heritage.

Steve Martin, global chief executive of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, told Telegraph Sport: “She’s got all the assets that you’d want in terms of personality. Her physical ability is fantastic. She plays with a smile on her face. She’s great to watch. Interviews well. She’s very, very impressive – and very likeable. Really likeable. You want her to win.”

Another leading marketing expert, Tim Crow, told Telegraph Sport: “As Naomi Osaka has recently shown, a player with Emma’s multicultural background also gives her the advantage of being able to resonate in multiple markets.”

Raducanu focused her early career on age-group tournaments, which she believes built up her confidence quickly.

“When I started having results early on those trips, it definitely was eye opening that I could do something,” Raducanu said.

“But I never really realised that I would take tennis as a career until maybe two years ago.

“Yeah, I always have my education as a back-up. I was doing it alongside my tennis. I had options. I still do. But obviously I’m 100% in my tennis now.

“I always had dreams of playing in Grand Slams but I just didn’t know when they would come. To come this early, at this point in my career, I’ve only really been on tour for a month, two months since Wimbledon. It’s pretty crazy to me.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu lunges to return the ball in the second set against Maria Sakkari of Greece during their US Open semifinal at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing neighbourhood of Queens, New York City on 9 September 2021. (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)

“I knew I had some sort of level inside of me that was similar to these girls, but I didn’t know if I was able to maintain it over a set or over two sets. To be able to do it and play the best players in the world and beat them, I honestly can’t believe it.” 

Driven Fernandez

Fernandez, who came to Flushing Meadows as world No 73, plays with simmering anger. She hits ferocious shots and is a tenacious competitor. You don’t beat three of the best players in the game in a week without serious ability.

Fernandez told the media she carries rejection with her into every match after being dropped from a tennis academy in Quebec when she was seven and told to focus on schoolwork.

Her father Jorge is an Ecuadorian-born soccer player who knew little about tennis, but coached her and drilled self-belief into his daughter. He is not in New York but the family is represented by Fernandez’s mother, Irene, and sister.

“My dad would tell me all the time, there’s no limit to my potential, to what I can do,” said Fernandez, who celebrated her 19th birthday on Monday. “Every day we just got to keep working hard, we got to keep going for it.

“Nothing is impossible. There’s no limit to what I can do. My mom had to go to California for a few years to support my family and I in the tennis world.

“Those few years were definitely hard for me because I needed a mom, I needed someone to be there for me through the age of 10 to 13.

“I’d barely see her at that time.

“Every time I saw her, it was like seeing a stranger but at the same time someone so familiar. I was just very lucky to have my mom here at this tournament cheering for me and having fun with me all this time.

“But we’ve gone through so many things together as a family.” DM