Tennis

Emma Raducanu reaches US Open final in New York, British teenager Emma Raducanu reached the US Open final as her meteoric rise continued with a stunning straight-set win over Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari in New York.

Raducanu, 18, extended her dream run with a 6-1 6-4 victory in which her dominance again almost defied belief.

She is the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final and will play another teenager Leylah Fernandez on Saturday.

Raducanu is the first British woman in a major singles final in 44 years.

Watched on by Virginia Wade - the last woman to achieve that feat at Wimbledon in 1977 - Raducanu produced another fearless and ruthless victory that stunned those watching on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After confidently swatting away a volley on her first match point, Raducanu immediately dropped her racquet on the court and covered her mouth with both hands.

Quickly she broke out into a beaming smile before lapping up the acclaim of a rapturous crowd on the world's biggest tennis court.

"The time in New York has gone so quickly, I've been taking care of each day and three weeks later I'm in the final. I actually can't believe it," Raducanu said.

After coming through three qualifying matches to reach the main draw, she has not dropped a set in any of her nine matches at Flushing Meadows.

It is only Raducanu's second Grand Slam tournament and the fourth tour-level event of her career.

Additionally, Raducanu is:

The youngest British Grand Slam finalist in 62 years, since Christine Truman reached the French Open final aged 18 in 1959

The first British woman to reach a US Open final in 53 years, following Wade in 1968

Only the fourth British woman to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era

Before her run to the Wimbledon last 16 earlier this summer, Raducanu was ranked 336th in the world.

This win puts her on the verge of the top 30 after already being assured of becoming the British women's number one by reaching the last four at Flushing Meadows.

Most pertinently, it gives the London teenager - who also passed her A Levels this summer - the opportunity to win one of tennis' most prestigious titles when she faces Canadian 19-year-old world number 73 Fernandez at 21:00 BST on Saturday.

Given the one-sided nature of the victory against Sakkari - and those before it - Raducanu will not be fazed by the occasion.

Great News:

British teenager Emma Raducanu's history-making US Open final against Canada's Leylah Fernandez will be available to watch live on network television after Amazon Prime agreed a deal with Channel 4.

Amazon's Prime Video streaming service has had exclusive UK broadcast rights for the final Grand Slam of the year.

But a deal has been struck with Channel 4, with Amazon pledging to reinvest that money - believed to be a seven-figure sum, according to the Press Association - into British women's tennis to help fund the next generation of players.

Channel 4's chief content officer Ian Katz added: "We're glad to have worked with Prime Video and pulled out all the stops to get it on air."

Right up there with Wembley 66?

Leicester City becoming Champions?

Andy Murray becoming Wimbledon Champion.

Did'nt drop a set!

18 years old!

She's created a sensation.

Absolutely brilliant television. I very rarely watch tennis away from Wimbledon... Wonder what the viewing figures will look like? Sport at its best.

Oddschecker give you the full history (click on Emma and select history / all).
4-1 before the semi-finals.
500-1 early August. 
Best odds now 1-10. 
Great to see the nation come together behind a sporting event / personality - I would argue much more than the Euros. 

Tennis star Novak Djokovic had a vaccine exemption to enter Australia after a Covid infection on 16 December, his lawyers say in court documents.

Djokovic was denied entry to Australia after landing in Melbourne this week to play in the Australian Open.

The world's top ranked tennis player is currently in an immigration detention centre ahead of a court case on Monday.

His case has caused a huge outcry in Australia and made headlines around the world.

Djokovic, 34, who has said he is opposed to vaccination, had been granted a medical exemption to play in the tournament in a decision that infuriated many ordinary Australians.

But the Serbian was dramatically denied entry on landing.

On Wednesday, Australian Border Force (ABF) officials said the player had "failed to provide appropriate evidence" at Melbourne Airport because a prior infection was not a valid reason to enter without a vaccination.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison later confirmed that this was the case under federal rules - despite an exemption provided by the Victorian state government.

Also, someone once said many years ago that Rafael Nadal was a 'Busted Flush', how sweet is this record breaking win today.

I wonder if you felt any sorrow for Mr Djokovic and his most recent trials and tribulations ? (fancy stopping the poor man winning a record 21 slams), where is ZFC ?

So, do you think that by going Gluten Free is cheating or a natural enhancement which has worked for him ?

The shambles that ensued with him not being vaccinated was interesting, an educated man would have got jabbed and won the slam, it meant so much to him.

Rafa was nursing a bout of blisters on his hand, being 2 sets down as well, it was all over, the Serbian would not have let that margin slip and won for sure.

Now that the Busted Flush has taken the lead it will be hard now for Gluten to win 2 to go in front at his age of 35 in May (RN is 36 in June).

The great Roger federer won his last slam at the Australian Open in 2018 when he was 36, it will be tough for both the Spaniard & the Serbian.