UK’s 18-year-old prodigy wins US Open final to take home prize cheque of $2.5 million

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Britain’s 18-year-old tennis prodigy Emma Raducanu continued her dream run to win the US Open final on Saturday beating Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the first all-teen final in a Slam since 1999.</p>
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In beating Canada’s 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez in straight sets 6-4 6-3, she is also the first woman to win the US Open without dropping a set since Serena Williams in 2014. </p>
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The showdown of prodigious talents was also the first all-teen Slam final since 17-year-old Serena Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis for the 1999 US Open crown.</p>
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The first qualifier ever in the Open era to win a Slam, Raducanu will take home the winner’s cheque of $2.5 million.</p>
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She had actually booked her tickets to fly back home at the end of the qualifiers,</p>
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For Raducanu, it’s a fantasy come true as she had not even expected to make it to the main playing rounds and had already booked her tickets in advance to fly back home after the qualifiers!</p>
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Radacunu has a Romanian father and a Chinese mother and was born in Toronto. The family moved to England when she was a two-year-old.</p>
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Raducanu, ranked 150th, was the first British woman in 44 years to win a Slam crown after defeating 73rd-ranked left-hander Fernandez.</p>
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Virginia Wade was the last British woman to win a Slam singles title in 1977 and the US Open crown in 1968.</p>
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Wade was among a sellout crowd of 23,700 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in the first-ever women's Slam final between unseeded players.</p>
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Raducanu had the fewest Slam starts of any women's Slam winner, reaching the fourth round in July at Wimbledon in her only prior Slam appearance while Fernandez had won only four matches in six prior Slam appearances.</p>