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SCREEN CAPTURE / ESPN Leylah Fernandez, left, and US Open champ Emma Raducanu. |
OPINION
Emma Raducanu beat Leylah Fernandez at the US Open, 6-4, 6-3 in a history-making match that featured the first all-Asian final for the women's title.
The hard fought match between the teenagers could be the start of a long rivalry between the unheralded players.
“I really want to congratulate Leylah and her team on an incredible fortnight,” the 18-year-old Raducanu said during the trophy ceremony. “She played some incredible tennis and beat some of the top players in the world. It was an incredibly difficult match but I thought the level was extremely high. I hope we play each other in many more tournaments and hopefully finals." In the background the just-turned 19-year old Fernandez can be seen smiling and nodding in agreement.
“Leylah is always going to play great tennis and always going to fight," said the Chinese Brit champion. "That’s just the competitor she is and that’s why she’s here in the final. I knew that I’d have to dig deep and I fell somehow. I thought that would throw myself off balance because I would have to serve."
As Raducanu had her knee bandaged after scraping it on the cement, Filipino Canadian Fernandez could be seen arguing with one of the officials because she had just scored an on Raducanu's serve and had momentum on her side. If she was able to break Raducanu's service the match score would have been a manageable 5-4. to set up one of Fernandez's trademark comebacks. However, the mandated medical break gave Raducanu a breather and a chance to regroup.
As play resumed, Raducanu was able reverse Fernandez' momentum to win the next serve bringing tying the game score, once again. She won the next point to gain an ad point. Fittingly Raducanu ended the game with an ace.
The final score doesn't reflect the tension throughout the match. The majority of the games had the opponents tying the game score.
Both players chased after balls sideline to sideline and played some remarkable tennis. Fernandez fought back gamely but her serve was not as potent as her other matches when her accuracy had her opponents flustered and off-balance. In the finals, she missed over 50% of her first serves.
The two virtually unknown teens surprised the US Open and their appearance in the finals was unexpected. Fernandez entered the US Open ranked 73rd in the WTA singles rankings while Raducanu came in at 150th.
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| Emma Raducanu, left, and Leylah Fernandez played with joy. |
Raducanu made history as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam. She had to win three matches in order to enter the tourney. She is the first British woman to win a major since 1977 when Virginia Wade won. She is also the youngest to win a major since Maria Sharapova in 2005.
Raducanu earned $2.5 million for winning the US Open and runner-up Fernandez won $1.25 million. But it wasn't the prize money that motivated the players. They just wanted to win and reminded us of the joy in the game. They are unheralded, no longer. Let's hope this is the start of a long rivalry.
They were remarkably composed despite their youth and inexperience of being in the spotlight. Fernandez, fighting back tears as she received her trophy, had one more comeback as she asked for the microphone after her interview reminding the Arthur Ash Stadium audience of the date, 9/11.
“I know on this day it was especially hard for New York and everyone around us,” she said. “I just hope I can be as strong and resilient as New York has been the past 20 years.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For more commentary, tips, observations and references, follow me on Twitter @dioknoed.
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