Two months ago, Leylah Annie Fernandez lost in the first round of Wimbledon 6-1, 6-2. Following that one-sided loss, Fernandez described she felt “embarrassed” by that effort, and vowed to improve. Well just one Major later, she has made gigantic strides forward. Leylah has won four consecutive three-setters over top players, including three top five upsets (Osaka, Svitolina, Sabalenla). She turned 19-years-old during this event, yet has demonstrated more composure than her superiors in crucial moments. Leylah is the daughter of an Ecuadorian father and a Filipino Canadian mother, an immigrant family who have become emotional when speaking of how Canada opened its doors and helped their dreams come true.
Two months ago, Emma Raducanu was ranked 338th in the world. She was offered a wild card into Wimbledon qualifying, which she declined, and her coach successfully fought for a wild card into the main draw. The 18-year-old thrilled British audiences, reaching the fourth round without dropping a set. Emma would have to retire from her fourth round match due to breathing issues, as it seemed the pressure and scrutiny that came with her overnight success was a bit too much. But the way she has rebounded so quickly, becoming the first qualifier to ever reach a Major singles final, and winning nine consecutive straight-set matches, is an extraordinary accomplishment. Emma is the daughter of a Romanian father and a Chinese mother, and shares a Canadian connection with Leylah, as she was born in Toronto.
Both Leylah and Emma have taken full advantage of their older, more-experienced opponents tightening up under the pressure of facing a teenager, exposing the fragility of their superiors. They will compete in the first unseeded final in Grand Slam history, and it will be fascinating to watch.
Leylah Fernandez vs. Emma Raducanu (Q) – 4:00pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Three years ago, these two players met in the second round of the junior event at Wimbledon, with Raducanu prevailing 6-2, 6-4. This will be the first of what the tennis world hopes will be many matches at tour level. Their roads to this championship match have been strikingly different. Fernandez has endured six extremely tight matches, going 5-0 in tiebreaks this fortnight. Raducanu has claimed all 18 sets contested since qualifying, and done so without even playing a tiebreak. Emma’s best chance of winning may be to avoid tiebreaks and keep the sets straightforward, as unlike Leylah, her poise is yet to be tested in a tiebreak.
Both players have been hugging the baseline, taking shots early and taking time away from their opponents. Raducanu’s serve and groundstrokes provide her with a stronger opportunity to dictate play, and she’s kept her stats extremely clean. Through six rounds, she has struck 132 winners, and only 88 unforced errors, and she’s only been broken five times. But how will her game hold up against the lefty-craftiness of Fernandez, which has frustrated so many right-handed opponents?
The biggest factors today will go beyond tactics. Leylah has spent over five hours longer on court across their six main draw matches, which must have taken a toll. And we’ve seen many times before how the player who upsets many top seeds on the way to the final often loses that final. However, the most important factor will be which teenager better handles this incredible moment. Fernandez has thrived as the underdog throughout this event, but how will she perform as the higher-ranked player? Raducanu has looked nothing like the player who could not complete her fourth round match at Wimbledon, showing a remarkable amount of growth in such a short time. Considering she will be the fresher player, and should feel less pressure as the lower-ranked competitor, I like Emma’s chances of becoming the 2021 US Open women’s singles champion.
Also on Saturday, the mixed doubles championship will be decided, as the No.2 seeds Desirae Krawczyk and Joe Salisbury play Giuliana Olmos and Marcelo Arevalo at 1:00pm local time on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Saturday’s full Order of Play is here.
