From Magic Johnson to Steve Nash, sporting greats hail Fernandez, Raducanu runs to US Open final
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez and Nice Britain’s Emma Raducanu have made impressed runs to her first main ultimate on the US Open, and so they’ve attracted the eye of sporting greats everywhere in the world.
The 19-year-old from Montreal got here into the event having did not win back-to-back tour-level primary draw matches since March. But in New York, the World No.73 has scored three Prime 5 wins over defending champion Naomi Osaka, No.5 Elina Svitolina, and World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka within the semifinals to advance to Saturday’s Championship Match. Maybe her most spectacular win of the event got here within the Spherical of 16 over former No.1 and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber, a grueling, tactical match-up that Fernandez received in three robust units.
Fernandez’s fortnight has not gone unnoticed. From NBA greats Magic Johnson and Steve Nash, to Canada’s Olympic gold medalist Christine Sinclair, this is how athletes have responded on social media:
The large slayer continues!! I simply completed watching @leylahfernandez knock off the quantity 2 participant on the planet to advance to the Finals!! 🔥 👏🏾
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 10, 2021
Wow 19years previous leylah Fernandez makes to tennis US open ultimate, unbelievable lovely story 👏 I don’t know what they’ve finished for tennis in Canada after they have produced so many nice gamers proper now, effectively finished👏👏👏
— Teemu Selanne (@TeemuSel8nne) September 10, 2021
Quelle👏🏽 efficiency 👏🏽@leylahfernandez 👏🏽 Félicitations pour avoir atteint la FINALE de l’@usopen, on est derrière toi jusqu’au bout ! 🇨🇦
What 👏🏽 a 👏🏽 efficiency 👏🏽 @leylahfernandez 👏🏽
Congratulations on reaching the @usopen FINAL, we’re behind you all the way in which! 🇨🇦— Félix AugerAliassime (@felixtennis) September 10, 2021
To not be outdone, 18-year-old Raducanu simply completed college and solely made her WTA debut in June on the grass at Nottingham. The Toronto-born Brit has wasted no time as she has burst on the scene in a stellar summer season. In her Wimbledon debut in July, Raducanu didn’t lose a set en path to the Spherical of 16. This summer season, she made the largest ultimate – on the time – of her profession on the WTA 125K in Chicago, the place she misplaced to former junior No.1 Clara Tauson. Her New York debut has been yet one more flurry of achievements unlocked.
Ranked No.150, Raducanu has torn by way of three qualifying matches and 6 primary draw matches with out shedding a set. Solely as soon as has she misplaced 5 video games in a set and that got here in her second spherical of qualifying. With wins over Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic within the quarterfinals and French Open semifinalist Maria Sakkari within the semifinals, Raducanu has notched back-to-back wins over Prime 20 opponents for the primary time in her profession.
Emma-mania has hit Britain full drive, and also you solely should go to social media to get a glimpse of it:
Congrats @EmmaRaducanu what an achievement already!! Good luck this weekend we’re all be cheering you on again dwelling 🎾
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) September 10, 2021
Congratulations on making the US Open ultimate @EmmaRaducanu So it begins. @tomallencomedy and I slowly slipping down the pecking order of Bromley Alumni.
1.Bowie
2.Raducanu
3.Allen
4.Bradley from Eastenders
5.Funky Chicks
6.Beckett— Rob Beckett (@robbeckettcomic) September 10, 2021
Can u dig it congratulations to Emma Raducanu c’mon LG
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) September 10, 2021