Canadian teen sensation Leylah Fernandez advanced to her first Grand Slam final on Thursday by defeating world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the US Open semi-finals. The 19-year-old prodigy eliminated Wimbledon semi-finalist Sabalenka 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4 and could capture her first Slam crown on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
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Leylah Fernandez, 19, of Canada celebrates after defeating World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in their U.S. Open semi-final, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4, at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, Sept. 9, 2021.
Image Credit: New York Times
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“I don’t know how I got that last point in but I’m glad it was and I’m glad I’m in the finals,” Fernandez said. Fernandez will play for the title against the winner of a later semi-final between Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari and 18-year-old British qualifier Emma Raducanu.
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Leylah Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, made Sabalenka her third top-five victim of the Open, having earlier ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina. Not since Serena Williams in 2012 at Wimbledon had a player beaten three rivals ranked in the top five at a Grand Slam.
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If Leylah Fernandez meets 150th-ranked Emma Raducanu in the final, it would be the first Slam final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open - and only the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since 1968).
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The teen powerhouses Leylah Fernandez, 19, and Emma Raducanu, 18, are each one victory from reaching their first Grand Slam final at the US Open, displaying the next generation’s formidable talent.
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Fernandez blasted a service winner to lead 4-3, saw Sabalenka mis-hit an overhead smash wide and double fault, then fired another service winner for the set, prompting the Ashe stadium music director to play the Eric Clapton song “Layla” as the crowd roared.
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Fernandez’s father-coach Jorge preached mental toughness in her training and it showed in the tie-break.
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Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, reacts after winning the first set against Aryna Sabalenka,of Belarus, during the semifinals of the US Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in New York.
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Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, returns a shot to Aryna Sabalenka,of Belarus, during the semifinals of the US Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in New York.
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Leylah Fernandez, of Canada, left, shakes hands with Aryna Sabalenka,of Belarus, after defeating Sabalenka during the semifinals of the US Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in New York. Sabalenka broke in the second game of the match on a forehand volley winner and dominated early with power shots, but Fernandez found her form and broke back to 4-3 on a Sabalenka double fault and they held into a tie-breaker.
Image Credit: AP
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