Open final at Flushing Meadows. The 18-year-old defeated No 17 seed Maria
Sakkari 6-1, 6-4, to become the first player – male or female – in the professional era
to reach a Grand Slam final after coming through qualifying.
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Canadian teen sensation Leylah Fernandez advanced to her first Grand Slam final
on Thursday by defeating world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the US
Open semi-finals.
The 19-year-old prodigy eliminated Wimbledon semi-finalist Sabalenka 7-6 (7/3),
4-6, 6-4 and could capture her first Slam crown on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I don’t know how I got that last point in but I’m glad it was and I’m glad I’m in the
finals,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, made Sabalenka her third top-five victim of
the Open, having earlier ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth-seeded
Elina Svitolina.
Not since Serena Williams in 2012 at Wimbledon had a player beaten three rivals
ranked in the top five at a Grand Slam.
When Fernandez meets 150th-ranked Raducanu in the final, it will be the first Slam
final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the
1999 US Open –– and only the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since
1968).
“I don’t care. I just want to play a final,” Fernandez said. “I’m going to enjoy my
victory and worry about it tomorrow,” Fernandez said.
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