US Open: Raducanu to face Fernandez in historic all-teen final

British 18-year-old qualifier Emma Raducanu and Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez completed astonishing runs to their historic first Grand Slam final on Thursday at the US Open.

In Saturday’s final, Raducanu has odds of 1.59 on Dafabet while Fernandez is tipped at 2.29.

Raducanu became the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final and the youngest Slam finalist in 17 years by ousting Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4.

“I’m in the final and I can’t actually believe it,” Raducanu said.

Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus for her third Open win over a top-five rival, a feat not seen at a Slam since Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2012.

“Now I can say I’ve done a pretty good job of achieving my dreams,” Fernandez said.

In a real-life epic as amazing as any fairy-tale, the teen prodigies will meet on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where one of them will claim her first Grand Slam title.

“Is there any expectation?” Raducanu said. “I’m a qualifier so technically on paper there’s no pressure on me.”

It’s the first Slam final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open and just the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since 1968).

“I just want to play a final,” Fernandez said.

“I’m going to enjoy my victory and worry about it tomorrow.”

Raducanu is the youngest Slam finalist since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won at Wimbledon in 2004.

She became only the second woman ranked outside the top 100 to reach a US Open final after unranked Kim Clijsters came out of retirement and won the 2009 US Open.

“Today I wasn’t thinking about anyone else except for myself,” Raducanu said.

Raducanu is trying to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977 and the first British woman to win the US Open since Wade in 1968.

“Tim is such a big inspiration,” said Raducanu. “He has been helping me, telling me take one point at a time. You have to stay in the moment and can’t get ahead of yourself.”

Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, had earlier ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina before Sabalenka, 23, became her third top-five victim.

“I had opportunities but I didn’t use them in the key moments,” Sabalenka said. “I didn’t play well. She deserved this win.”

Raducanu could become the first US Open champion not to lose a set since Serena Williams in 2014. PHOTO/COURTESY

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