Teen tennis player tastes victory - 20th September 2021

18 year old British tennis star Emma Raducanu has finally terminated the country's 44 year long wait for a women's Grand Slam title, by defeating opponent Leylah Fernandez of Canada in the US Open.

The young sportswoman stormed to victory in New York through a jaw-droppingly impressive run in which she did not drop a single set. Her final match was also won with impressive flair, beating her rival in two clear sets, 6-4, 6-3.

Raducanu flung herself to the ground in sheer relief after firing an ace, to conclude what has been the most magnificent three-week adventure.

She served for the match at 5-3 but cut her leg as she went break point down, and this led to a medical time-out which clearly riled Fernandez, who openly expressed her irritation to the match official. However, Raducanu shrugged off the delay, saving a further breakpoint before closing out her third championship point.

After the two teenagers had shared a hug, the victor clambered up the stands of the Arthur Ashe Stadium to embrace her euphoric team members.

Born in Canada, Raducanu relocated to Britain with her Chinese mother and Romanian father as a toddler. She spent her youth in London, and first picked up a tennis racket aged five, but two years later she was already taking part in local and regional tennis events in southern England.

Raducanu has made history by being the first ever player to win a Grand Slam after entering the competition through qualifying rounds. Players ranked 104 and above are automatically entered but she was only ranked 150.

It is the first time in 44 years that a British woman has won one of the major tennis tournaments and Raducanu was cheered on by an emotional Virginia Wade, the previous record holder, who walked away with a Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon in 1977.

"It means so much to have Virginia Wade here and also Tim Henman," Raducanu said in her on-court speech. "They are British icons and for me to follow in their footsteps gave me the belief I could do it."