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Emma Raducanu
Photo:
Paul Zimmer / imago images / Paul Zimmer
Seldom before has a Grand Slam been so unpredictable and delivered so many surprises as this year's US Open.
This is mainly due to two players who hardly anyone outside of the tennis world knew before the tournament, but who are now in what is probably the most unlikely final of the Open Era in tennis since 1968: Leylah Fernandez, 19, from Canada and the British Emma Raducanu, 18 .
It is the first time since 1999 that two such young athletes have made it to the final of the last Grand Slam tournament of the year (10 p.m. / TV: Eurosport). Both women were unset, and Raducanu even had to go through the qualification before the tournament actually started. It is the age that unites the two surprise finalists. But there are also serious differences.
Fernandez, who is in the world rankings at number 73 and thus almost twice as high as Raducanu (150), has made a much more rocky and also more dramatic way into this final than her opponent. For her six matches in the main draw, the Canadian needed twelve hours and 45 minutes, almost five hours longer than Raducanu. She only had to play two sets in the first two rounds. After that, Fernandez always went over the long distance. One after the other, she eliminated the established world-class players Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina and, most recently, Aryna Sabalenka in sometimes thrilling three-set games.
Raducanu, who made it into the final of a Grand Slam tournament as the first qualifier in the history of the Open era, literally slipped through the US Open.
The 18-year-old has consistently won clear victories, so far she has not had to give up a single set and has only lost 27 games in 18 sets, including the three qualifying matches.
Up until the quarter-finals against Belinda Bencic, no opponent was better placed in the world rankings than 41st.
But also Olympic champion Bencic and in the semifinals Maria Sakkari, both top 20 players, were beaten by Raducanu.
Escape artist vs. percussion artist
Fernandez's great strength is her ability to break free from seemingly hopeless game situations over and over again. That sounds sober and unspectacular, but in truth it is a great art and proves what a huge talent Fernandez has. With quick sprints from corner to corner, the left-hander cleverly shrinks the space again and again. It's this mix of speed and control that has made her so uncomfortable for every opponent so far.
Raducanu, on the other hand, plays differently: easier and faster.
The computer-aided Hawkeye system measured her fastest forehand in this tournament at just over 160 km / h.
Only Osaka scored better in this regard.
This power also makes her an excellent return player, whose basic strokes quickly become attack balls.
Raducanu's movements on the court are generally more balanced than Fernandez's.
She plays the more elegant tennis.
Unconditionally confident vs. rationally humble
Fernandez is jittery and always on the move. As defensive as her style is, her attitude between rallies and especially after points won always means: attack. Even at the beginning of a match, after winning, she sometimes raises both arms and signals to her opponents: "You can't get past me today." This trust in her own strength is also reflected in her assessments after the games: " I am not surprised by what is happening now. I'm just glad it happened now, not later. ”She expected her tennis to develop like this. That's what Fernandez said after her victory in the round of 16 over Kerber.
Raducanu's path at the US Open was always characterized by uncertainty: "Before the start, I didn't know what I would be able to do in New York," she said after reaching the finals.
"I'm surprised that I managed to beat some of the best players in the world."
Sometimes she clenches her left fist, but in principle it is quieter than Fernandez.
The New York Times once described her as "humble".
In 2018, Raducanu and Fernandez met in the sixteenth finals of the youth tournament at Wimbledon.
There is a video of it.
Almost still children, but you can already see the differences in play style.
Raducanu won then.
Now, three years later, they both see each other again in the final of the US Open.
Who would have thought?
