British teenager Emma Raducanu completed a fairytale on Saturday by beating Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in the women's US Open final to become the first qualifier to capture a Grand Slam.
It was a victory that required blood, sweat and in the end a few tears as the 18-year-old became the first British woman to hoist a major trophy since Virginia Wade, who was watching from courtside, won Wimbledon in 1977.
Wade has been in New York cheering from courtside seats while an infatuated Britain gathered around televisions and held its collective breath on Saturday as the teenager played out a Hollywood ending on an improbable script.
Raducanu's win received the royal stamp of approval with Queen Elizabeth taking to Twitter to offer congratulations along with other members of the royal family.
"It's an absolute dream," said Raducanu, who will shoot up from 150th to No 23 in the world rankings on Monday. "I've always dreamed of winning a Grand Slam. You just say these things.
"You say, I want to win a Grand Slam. But to have the belief I did, and actually executing, winning a Grand Slam, I can't believe it."
The first Grand Slam final - men's or women's - to be contested by two unseeded players was an unfathomable match-up featuring qualifier Raducanu and little-known Fernandez, who was 73rd in the standings going into the tournament.
Raducanu did not drop a single set or even play a tie-break in her 10 matches at Flushing Meadows, swatting aside more experienced opponents with the same ease as she hammered winners.
Fernandez's giant-killing run to reach the final saw her claim victories over second-seed Aryna Sabalenka, four-time Grand Slam winner and defending champion Naomi Osaka, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber.
"I'd say even though I didn't on paper drop a set, I think I faced a lot of adversity in every single one of my matches," Raducanu said. "I can pick moments where I was down.
"Just to come through those are important.
"I think what I did very well this tournament was press in the moments that I really needed to."
For the first time during the Flushing Meadows fortnight, the 19-year-old Canadian faced a younger opponent, if only by a couple of months. But Fernandez had no answers for the icy cool Raducanu.
The charismatic teens had charmed the New York crowds with fearless play and contagious enthusiasm, leaving excited fans a difficult choice over who to back in the final, but the North American connection saw Fernandez enjoy most of the support, particularly when she trailed.
"It was an incredibly difficult match but I thought the level was extremely high,” said Raducanu.
“Leylah’s always going to play great tennis and always going to fight – that’s just the competitor she is ... I think just staying in the moment, focusing on what I had to do ... really helped in those tough times.”
While the scoreline might hint at a one-sided affair, the near two-hour contest featured plenty of jaw-dropping tennis and more than a dash of drama, particularly in a second set that Raducanu threatened to run away with when, at 5-2 up, she earned two match points on Fernandez's serve.
The battling Canadian mounted a comeback to stay alive and when the Briton went down chasing a ball and scraped her knee - leaving blood dripping down her leg - the tide looked ready to turn.
As trainers bandaged the wound, Fernandez, who had just earned a break point, looked on in frustration, not wanting to lose the building momentum.
In the end, however, nothing was going to prevent Raducanu from realising her destiny, as she returned to finish off her opponent with an ace.
"I have no idea what I'm doing tomorrow," said Raducanu, who might indulge in a New York shopping spree after pocketing a winner's purse of $2.5 million, almost 10 times her previous career earnings of $303,000. "I'm just really trying to embrace the moment, really take it all in.
"Right now, no care in the world, I'm just loving life."
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
