Leylah Fernandez representing Canada (half Filipino half Ecuadorian) and Emma Raducanu representing Britain (half Chinese half Romanian) make history as the first all mixed Asian Women’s US Open final.
(Teenage) dream final. pic.twitter.com/iKZkHuLAne
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2021
The pair will face off for the second time in their respective careers. The previous meeting was in second round of the Wimbledon Girls’ singles 2018. Emma Raducanu defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-4. Raducanu lost in the quarterfinals.
Saturday will be the first grand slam final for both players. Emma Raducanu’s previous best slam was Wimbledon this summer where she bowed out in the Fourth Round. Leylah Fernandez got to the Third Round of the French Open in 2020.
A year after half Japanese, half Haitian Naomi Osaka’s second impressive US Open final win, the world will see a new mixed Asian winner of the US Open. The winner will receive a staggering £1.8 million in prize money with the runner-up netting £900,000.
Fernandez and Raducanu’s final is the first all-teenage final since 1999 when Serena Williams then 18 beat Martina Hingis then 19 to lift her first grand slam.
Winning this final could propel either player to careers like William’s who has won 23 grand slams during her illustrious career.