Emma's mental strength is astonishing for an 18 year old. She must have been disappointed to not get a double break in both of Sakkari's last 2 service games but didn't let it affect her service games that followed.
So the unstoppable force that is Raducanu meets the immovable object that is Fernandez, in what has to be the most improbable Grand Slam final ever.
Amazing performance once again. I have no idea how she manages to pressurise her opponents to fold the way they have in the past three matches that l have watched.
Fernandez came in ranked 66th in the world, Raducanu at 150th. There's a very, very good chance that the combined total there is never topped. Also, somewhere there is a degenerate gambler who put 10 quid on this result and is now pricing out mansions. Fernandez is the more experienced competitor...in that she had played a grand total of 32 matches in WTA competition prior to this tournament. Raducanu? 19. This is silly.
What astonishes me most is that Emma hasn't even been involved in a tie break never mind lose a set. She's just swept aside everyone in her path.
Of course the achievements of Fernandez shouldn't be forgotten in all of this. Final could go either way. Far too tough to call. Either way 2 stars have been born this last fortnight.
That's what makes it really interesting. They've gotten there in very different ways: Raducanu has steamrolled her opposition, but faced less-pedigreed (though obviously still good) competitors, while Fernandez's matches have all been pretty even affairs, but against several of the biggest names in women's tennis. I suppose the smart money is on either Raducanu to win in straight sets or Fernandez to win in three.
Their combined age is less than Serena Williams. And coincidently, the last teenage contest in the US Open final involved Serena Williams and Martina Hingis
I love the Canadian/UK sporting link.- Lennox Lewis, born in the UK, went to Canadá when he was about 10, while Raducanu came to the UK as an infant. Then there's Greg Rudeski!! Very likeable as a person when interviewed. Anyone think of others?
In the excitement of Emma Raducanu reaching the final, nobody has commented on the achievement of Joe Salisbury and Jamie Murray reaching the Mens' Doubles final. Well done guys and well done Emma.
There must be someone with Canadian links who has played in the Six Nations for oñe of the "Home" countries??
One of the titans of 90s football, Ian ‘Donkey’ Marshall of Oldham, Ipswich Town, Leicester and probably some other blue clubs, moved to Canada after he retired, and established The Ian Marshall Football Academy there. Does that count?
