Tennis : Queen leads explosion of British joy at Raducanu's stunning Slam win

LONDON -- Emma Raducanu's extraordinary US Open triumph on Saturday led to an explosion of joy in Britain, with Queen Elizabeth II leading the celebrations as the 18-year-old qualifier made tennis history in New York.

Raducanu beat 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 to become Britain's first women's Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977, and the first player to win a major after coming through a qualifying tournament.

"I send my congratulations to you on your success," the Queen said. "It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age, and is testament to your hard work and dedication."

Raducanu's win even managed to knock football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's two-goal return to Manchester United off Sunday morning's UK newspaper front pages.

The Express called it "Absolutely Emm-ense!" while the Telegraph proclaimed: "She did it!"

Social media caught fire after Raducanu sealed the win with an ace.

Former England footballer Gary Lineker broke off from presenting the English Premier League highlights programme "Match of the Day" on BBC TV to post:

"First time in my life I've ever tweeted whilst on air but my goodness what a performance, what a triumph, what an amazing young woman."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "What a sensational match! Huge congratulations to Emma Raducanu. You showed extraordinary skill, poise and guts and we are all hugely proud of you."

Raducanu's only previous Slam appearance, at Wimbledon in July, ended when she pulled out of her fourth-round match after an anxiety attack.

"Look at that bounce back @EmmaRaducanu US Open champion, amazing. Congratulations," tweeted England and Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford, who had offered support to Raducanu after her Wimbledon exit.

Raducanu was born in Canada to a Chinese mother and Romanian father, but grew up in Bromley in suburban south London after moving to England at the age of two.

- 'It's mind boggling' -

At her former tennis club, Parklangley, members gathered in front of TVs Saturday night to roar her to victory.

"I'm speechless. I'm sore and hoarse from screaming," said her former coach Suzanne Williams.

Former British number one Tim Henman, who was courtside, said: "She will win more of these, she is that good. This is not some flash in the pan or fairytale. She is playing top-five tennis."

Australian Grand Slam winner Pat Cash told BBC radio that a qualifier winning a major is "something I never could have believed would happen. It's mind boggling."

And tennis great Martina Navratilova tweeted: "A star is born -- Emma Raducanu makes history... and she is just getting started. And will never have to qualify again:)"

In China, where the match took place in the early hours of Sunday, Tencent published an article with pictures of Raducanu visiting China as a child.

"An ethnic Chinese won the US Open" it trumpeted. "She claimed that her motivation (or power) comes from her Chinese mother!"

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Superstitions keep Fernandez's coach dad from US Open

Jorge Fernandez won't attend his daughter Leylah's all-teen US Open final showdown Saturday with Britain's Emma Raducanu over fears about messing with routines that are working.

Fernandez, a former footballer from Ecuador who became a tennis coach for his daughter, will watch from home in Florida as he has for two weeks when 19-year-old Fernandez meets 18-year-old qualifier Raducanu for the title.

"No, I'm not going to be there," Fernandez told US Open reporters on a conference call. "I'm extremely superstitious. My daughter is as well.

"I've been using the same shampoo on game day, kind of using the same jeans on game day, I think the same socks and underwear— it's taken to a completely different level.

"It's nothing new. You do your shoelaces a certain way. Leylah and I have always when we figured out what's working, we don't mess with it.

"It's working, so let's not ruin it."

Raducanu is the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final while Fernandez ousted three of the world's top five to reach the final.

"You're playing another warrior in front of you. I don't think the age, who it is or the ranking should even matter," Fernandez said.

"It's a finals. Let's leave it all on the table. Let's sweat it all out. Let's make sure that no matter how it finishes, there are no regrets."

He painfully recalls the last time he watched Leylah in a final.

"It was Acapulco when she made it to the finals and she lost it," Jorge Fernandez said. "I was hating myself for a good two months afterwards. I didn't really want to talk about it.

"They say, 'C'mon, it's just a game, she made it to the finals.' But inside me it's like, 'No, I shouldn't have shown up. I shouldn't have been there.'

"It's really about superstition. She knows I'm supporting her from afar. I'm in her heart and she's in mine.

"Everybody who has seen it from the stadium, fantastic. But I'm going to look at her right across the kitchen table when we're going to have dinner and we're going to be OK."

They're also in touch often, with Leylah getting calls on a schedule, the night before a match for plans, the next morning for workout needs and for the pre-match pep talk.

"It's more based on sentiments and emotions," he said. "It's almost like a virtual hug and a kiss. 'Good luck, you know what to do.' It's more of a motivating conversation. What I say is what I'm feeling in the moment, what I'm feeling from her."

It's a final boost for the mental fortitude Fernandez shows on court.

"She's just unbelievable with her mindset right now. She shows so much fight," he said. "But she is human, and she does feel those emotions."

Watching past champions 

The teen Fernandez has developed her toughness being a student of tennis.

"That poise has come from her watching a lot of tennis, watching some of the big names, the YouTube clips, watching the matches," her father said.

"She's constantly analyzing what happened. She's a great student of the game. I think that brings that poise that we see in her, able to do what she's doing because she has watched it so much.

"She's kind of acting with the same poise that past champions have done. She has learned how they recuperate and keep their poise. That's what we're seeing."

Both finalists have Asian heritage, Fernandez from the Philippines on her mother's side.

"Those two ladies are touching a lot of young girls. This can only be good for tennis," Jorge Fernandez said.

"They bring a flair that is very unique for them. I'm glad that they're touching the Asian community. That's a huge opportunity in the women's game just to be able to expand and have a new style."

He thanked a Filipino-Canadian group for their support of Leylah.

"I truly appreciate the Filipino community backing up Leylah," he said. "It's so beautiful. I'm glad that they've embraced her. I hope that relationship can only grow between her and her community."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Crowd pleaser Leylah Fernandez rides wave of support to US Open semis

NEW YORK - After the COVID-19 pandemic left the stands empty last year, the U.S. Open has welcomed tennis-starved fans back to Flushing Meadows and Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez has ridden a wave of support all the way to the semi-finals.

Harnessing the energy generated by New York's raucous fans, Fernandez has knocked out a string of big names, including former champions Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber.

On Tuesday it was fifth seed Elina Svitolina's turn to be sent packing by the 19-year-old's racquet, Fernandez winning a quarter-final nail biter 6-3 3-6 7-6(5) on the sport's biggest stage, Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"Thanks to you guys, to the crowd, to the New York crowd, cheering me on, fighting for me and never giving up for me," she said. "Thanks to you, I was able to push through today."

After a year without spectators, players have said crowds have seemed louder and more engaged.

While at Wimbledon you can hear a pin drop on centre court, a constant buzz provides the background soundtrack on Arthur Ashe and the crowd is never shy about expressing their feelings.

For Fernandez, tapping into the crowd is something she says she has worked hard at, yet it seems so instinctive.

The 19-year-old's natural enthusiasm combined with a fearlessness and attacking style have made her a Flushing Meadows darling.

Her fan club continues to grow, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NBA-great Magic Johnson congratulating and praising her on social media.

"Over the years I've been learning how to use the crowd's energy, how to use it to my advantage even though they're cheering against me, to use it," said Fernandez.

"From a very young age I think it's something from inside of me because from a very young age I've always wanted to be on the first court playing in front of parents.

"Even though they're not watching, I wanted to be in the first court.

"Even in school, apart from presentations in front of the class that I hated, but when I had to ... do a mini play, sing, dance, I would go out there, have fun."

Fernandez has masterfully worked the crowd in each of her matches, asking for their support, windmilling her arms and urging them to cheer when she feel she has given them something cheer about.

A clenched fist thrust into the air after a winning point has quickly become her trademark.

And Fernandez will likely need the crowd on her side more than ever on Thursday when she meets second seed Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the final.

"Coming to New York one of my goals was to come out of my shell and be more outgoing and I have been improving every day and it shows on court," said Fernandez.

"I was very sad there was no crowd last year."

(Reporting by Steve Keating; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

-reuters-