Raducanu is historical

Emma Raducanu, 18-year-old British, made history this Thursday at the US Open by becoming the first tennis player, male or female, to reach the final since the previous one in a Grand Slam. It had never happened. The player born in Toronto (Canada), but raised from the age of 2 in Bromley (England) to a Romanian father and a Chinese mother, beat Greek Maria Sakkari 6-1 and 6-4 in 1:23 (26th and 18th in the world), with the same overwhelming dominance with which she has broken one after another of the nine opponents she has had in the tournament, since it began for her two weeks ago. He enters the title match without losing a set and having given up just 27 games in the six main draw matches, at an average of 4.5 per clash.

Her victory also ensures a teenage final in the tournament, as she will be measured on Saturday (22:00, Eurosport) with the recently turned 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernández, who could with the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. She will be the youngest in the New York best since she faced Serena Williams (18) and Martina Hingis (19) in 1999 and won by the American. Raducanu starred in a performance of surgical precision, with 17 unforced errors and as many winning shots, saved the seven break opportunities that a Sakkari had in the best year of her career, all in her first two rest, and scored two breaks in the first set and two in the second. He did not have to do anything to write home about to lead in his twelfth WTA category match (He is now 9-3), beyond directing the exchanges with his extraordinary backhand, his best shot.

“Everything has happened very quickly, three weeks ago I was in the preview and now I have reached the final, I can’t believe it,” he said at the end of the match. “Tim (Henman) has been a great inspiration, has helped me and has told me to go point to point. I am very grateful for what she has done for British tennis and for me ”, she said about the former British tennis player, who has followed her in the tournament, like Virginia Wade, the last US Open champion of her nationality, in 1968. “Today I have not thought of anyone other than myself,” she confessed when asked if what Leylah Fernández had achieved had inspired her. And he showed what mental paste is made of: “I have no pressure, I started in the previous one.”

From another era

That is, perhaps, what is most surprising about this girl, as well as the other finalist. And now it is better understood what happened to Sara Sorribes when he faced her in the third round and conceded 6-0 and 6-1. Raducanu recalls tennis players from other eras, also precocious and with innate conditions for competition, such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. And it does not seem like a flower of a day, already marked ways in Wimbledon, his favorite tournament, when he reached the round of 16 last July. In full decline of the great Andy Murray, Britain has finally found the new star it wanted.

Results, table and schedules.