Emma Raducanu 'loving life' after making history with US Open title triumph

18-year-old becomes the first unseeded qualifier to win a grand slam tournament

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain poses with the championship trophy after defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada to win the 2021 women's US Open. AFP

Emma Raducanu, of Britain, poses outside Arthur Ashe Stadium with the championship trophy. AP Photo

Leylah Fernandez of Canada reacts after winning a point against Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Reuters

Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. Getty Images

Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada celebrates with the runner-up trophy. AFP

The bloodied knee of Britain's Emma Raducanu is seen as she celebrates after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP

Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP

Britain's Emma Raducanu hugs Canada's Leylah Fernandez after winning the 2021 US Open. AFP

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy and ball kids after defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP

Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada holds the runner-up trophy as Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy alongside Billie Jean King, Stacey Allaster, USTA Chief Executive, and USTA President Mike McNulty. AFP

Fans watch British teenager Emma Raducanu compete with Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the US Open final at The Parklangley Club, in Beckenham, England. AP

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates defeating Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP

Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada holds the runner-up trophy as Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the championship trophy. AFP

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrate. AFP

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain returns the ball against Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP

Suzanne Williams, Strength and Conditioning coach for Emma Raducanu aged 8-12, watches the US Open tennis match remotely at the Parklangley Club in Beckenham, England, as she celebrates Raducanu winning. PA

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates winning championship point to defeat Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada. AFP

Leylah Fernandez of Canada hits a backhand against Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Reuters

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with fans. EPA

Britain's Emma Raducanu celebrates with the trophy. AFP

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain reacts after defeating Lelyah Fernandez of Canada to win the US Open final. EPA

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."