Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari LIVE result: British teen storms through to US Open final

Emma Raducanu continued her historic run at the US Open as she defeated Maria Sakkari to set up a sensational all-teenage final against Leylah Fernandez in New York.

Raducanu sealed an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 victory over 17th seed Sakkari to become the first British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977 to reach a Grand Slam singles final, on what has been a dream debut at Flushing Meadows.

In doing so, the 18-year-old becomes the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final and is the youngest US Open finalist in more than 20 years, after 19-year-old Fernandez had briefly held that record following her three-sets win over second seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Raducanu withstood early pressure from Sakkari as she saved seven break points in her opening two service games, but was clinical as she broke her opponent early to establish a 3-0 lead in the opening set. A further break of serve underlined Raducanu’s perfect start as the teenager quickly established control before going on to claim the first set 6-1.

The teenager dominated the second set and did not face a single break point on her serve and while Sakkari responded to the challenge by saving a number of break point opportunities herself, Raducanu’s early break in the second set was enough as she kept her nerve to serve out a remarkable victory.

Saturday’s final against Canadian Fernandez will also be the first in Grand Slam history to feature two unseeded players, and the first meeting of two teenagers since 1999. “Is there any expectation?” Raducanu laughed when asked during her on-court interview about the possibility of winning the US Open. “I’m a qualifier, technically there’s no pressure on me.”

Follow all the reaction from the US Open semi-finals below.

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Emma Raducanu reaches US Open final with straight sets defeat of Maria Sakkari

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When is Emma Raducanu’s next match? Briton takes on Leylah Fernandez in historic all-teenage US Open final

Raducanu vs Sakkari live updates
Emma Raducanu makes history as she defeats Maria Sakkari to reach US Open final
Raducanu will play 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez in Saturday’s all-teenage final
Fernandez defeats 2nd seed Sabalenka 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 to continue dream run

Record-breaking Emma Raducanu sets up fitting US Open finale
11:06 , Ben BurrowsIf you were to write down a list of the records Emma Raducanu has set in advancing to the US Open final, there’s a chance it would reach as many points as the 18-year-old has in dropped games in New York. So, for brevity, the key one is this: Raducanu has made tennis history by becoming the first qualifier, male or female, to reach a Grand Slam final, sealed with an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 win over Maria Sakkari.“A surprise. A shock. Crazy. All of the above.” No wonder the British star didn’t know what to say when asked to describe what the achievement meant to her. When Raducanu arrived in New York three weeks ago ahead of her first round of qualifying, there was no precedent for a run of this magnitude. As such, Raducanu had booked her return flights to the UK for the end of the qualifying rounds. “Honestly, the time in New York has gone so fast,” she said. “I’ve just been taking care of each day and before you know it, three weeks later, I’m in the final. I can’t believe it.”Record-breaking Emma Raducanu sets up fitting US Open finale

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
10:36 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu on pressure: “I think that being young there is an element of playing free. But I do think that when I’m older and more experience the tables will turn when younger players come through - but right now I’m thinking of the gameplan, the execution and that’s what has landed me in this situation. It hasn’t been focusing on who’s expected to win this match or that one. I think it’s just taking care of the day. That’s what I’m doing quite well at the moment.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
09:28 , Jamie BraidwoodMaria Sakkari on facing Emma Raducanu: “She plays fearless, she absolutely goes for it. She does the right thing, actually. She has nothing to lose, she’s enjoying herself. Belinda [Bencic] would agree with me that we did not bring our best performance [against Raducanu]. I’m sad, I’m broken to have missed out on my first final. But I’m confident that it will come.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
09:18 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu on coming through moments of adversity at the US Open: “I knew I had some sort of level inside of me that was similar to these girls, but I didn’t know if I was able to maintain it over a set or over two sets. To be able to do it and play the best players in the world and beat them, I honestly can’t believe it.“It’s been extremely difficult because they always fight, they have so much experience which they use. I’m just so, so proud to have come through very tough moments in all of my matches.”

Watch: Warm up routine

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
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Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
08:49 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu on her early meetings with upcoming US Open final opponent Leylah Fernandez: “Obviously since then we’ve both come very far in our games and as people. I’m sure it’s going to be extremely different to when we last encountered each other. But we’re both playing good tennis so it will be a good match.“Honestly right now I’m just thinking of the game plan, how to execute. That’s what’s landed me in this situation. It hasn’t been focusing on who’s expected to win this match or that one. I think it’s just taking care of the day. That’s what I’m doing quite well at the moment.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
08:24 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu on beating Maria Sakkari: “Today was always going to be a very difficult match, She’s an unbelievable player, probably one of the best athletes out there on tour. I knew before the match I was going to have to play some of my best tennis if I wanted a chance.“Honestly I think I played some of my best tennis today, especially here in New York. I knew I was going to have to be super aggressive. I managed to execute. So, I’m just really happy with today’s performance.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
08:05 , Jamie BraidwoodWhen asked to describe how it felt to become the first qualifier to reach a final in Grand Slam history, Emma Raducanu couldn’t settle on just one word, so she used a few. “A surprise. Honestly, I just can’t believe it. A shock. Crazy. All of the above,” she said. “I always had dreams of playing in Grand Slams, but I just didn’t know when they would come. To come this early, at this point in my career—I’ve only really been on tour for a month, two months since Wimbledon—it’s pretty crazy to me.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
07:50 , Jamie Braidwood“Honestly, the time in New York has gone so fast. I’ve just been taking care of each day and before you know it, three weeks later, I’m in the final. I can’t believe it.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
07:25 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s been stunning to watch the rapid development of Raducanu’s game since her breakthrough at Wimbledon nine weeks ago. The 18-year-old played some stunning tennis at SW19, on what was just her second senior tournament, but has since gone up another two or three levels. The confidence with which she is attacking her returns and the improvement of her own serve, in particular, is remarkable. She has also grown accustomed to the physical challenges of the game, while her elite mentality been evident with the manner with which she has dealt which challenging situations - such as being 2-0 down in the quarter-final and facing the early pressure from Sakkari on her serve earlier.

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
07:01 , Jamie BraidwoodLeylah Fernandez’s dramatic victory over Aryna Sabalenka should not be overshadowed and the 19-year-old Canadian has more than played her part in setting up Saturday’s sensational US Open final against Emma Raducanu. Fernandez also continued her stunning run at the US Open after outlasting Sabalenka in a tight deciding set to seal a narrow 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 win over the world number two. “My Dad would tell me all the time that there was no limit to my potential and what I could do,” Fernandez said afterwards. “Nothing is impossible.“I think one word that really stuck with me [about my US Open run] is magical. The way I’m playing right now, I’m just having fun and enjoying it.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
06:46 , Jamie BraidwoodVirginia Wade, the last British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title, was present at the Arthur Ashe stadium to witness Emma Raducanu’s historic win in the semi-finals. Wade’s US Open success in 1977 was the last time a British woman lifted a major singles honour in the sport and was the last of her four Grand Slam titles. “Without question I think Emma is the new star of British tennis,” Wade said earlier this week. “There’s no question she’s just got special qualities, she’s good in all departments. “She’s still young, you don’t know how it’s going to evolve, but without anything going wrong, she should be set up there with the top girls for a long time.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
06:36 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez have played each other once before, facing each other at junior Wimbledon back in 2018. The pair have known one another for much longer than that, however, following their participation on the junior circuit - where they met for the first time back in the under-12s. “The fact that we are both here after having played each other from the early days, it’s very cool to see just how far we have come,” Raducanu said ahead of her semi-final.

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
06:26 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu could well be fresher than Fernandez ahead of Saturday’s final , with the 19-year-old Canadian having been taken to three sets in each of her last four matches. 18-year-old Raducanu, meanwhile, has not dropped a set on her run from the first round of qualifying and although she has played in three more matches than Fernandez she has spent less time on court overall. Both players will have a rest day tomorrow, after Raducanu had faced a quick turnaround between her quarter-final and semi-final matches, not that you could tell based upon her remarkable display.

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
06:14 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu’s US Open final against Leylah Fernandez will be played at 9pm UK time on Saturday night, which is good news to those who have battled against tiredness to watch her semi-final win! When is Emma Raducanu’s next match? Briton set for historic all-teenage US Open final

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
06:06 , Jamie BraidwoodGreg Rusedski, who reached the US Open singles final in 1997 added: “I’m dumbfounded. That performance was worthy of a world number one, a US Open champion, a multiple grand slam champion. “The composure, the belief, the handling of the big points. This is her first Grand Slam semi-final and it was like she was playing in the first round. It was astonishing.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
05:48 , Jamie BraidwoodTim Henman and Martina Navratilova led the praise of Emma Raducanu following her straight sets victory over Maria Sakkari to reach the US Open final. “It’s an absolutely staggering performance,” Henman told Amazon Prime. “If we just look at the way she came out and played, her quality of tennis from start to finish, she was so resilient. She never flinched.“She never let up. It was relentless. And then you’ve got to throw in the scenario of being a qualifier, an 18-year-old, with all the legends who have ever played this game at grand slam level. She is the first person to qualify and reach the final. It’s simply stunning.“She deserves all the credit in the world. On the biggest stage in our sport at every opportunity she plays on her terms. It’s incredible to watch.”“When you make history you do it at one level or two. Emma is doing it at so many levels,” the 18-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova added.“You can’t even think about the repercussions. We’ve been hyping her up but it’s happening. She’s backing it up.”

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
05:31 , Jamie BraidwoodI still can’t get over how effective that performance from Emma Raducanu was. It was like watching a world No 1 or multiple Grand Slam champion at times. In the first set she saved all seven of the break points she faced, while converting two of the three chances she had on the Sakkari serve. She won over half of her return points in the opening set, with her rate of 57 per cent matching that of what she had produced so far in the tournament. The story of the second set was all to do with the efficiency of her serve. She hit 80 per cent of her first serves, winning 16 of those 20 points, and did not face a single break point across her five service games. That is remarkable.

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
05:04 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu is still yet to drop a set at the US Open, having now played nine matches in New York if you include qualifying!

Emma Raducanu through to US Open final
04:55 , Jamie Braidwood“I can’t believe it,” beams Emma Raducanu. “I’ve enjoyed my time in New York so much, thank you for the support!”“Honestly today I wasn’t thinking about anyone else except for myself,” she says when asked if she was inspired by Leylah Fernandez’s victory in the earlier semi-final. “While I have the moment I just really want to thank my team, the LTA and everyone back home for their support - I wouldn’t be here without it. You guys in New York have made me feel at home at tonight playing under the lights on Arthur Ashe, it’s one of the most iconic things in tennis and I was just so excited to come out here and play.”“Is there any expectation [ahead of the final]? I’m a qualifier, technically there’s no pressure on me.”What an answer!

EMMA RADUCANU THROUGH TO US OPEN FINAL!
04:49 , Jamie BraidwoodIf I can’t find the words, perhaps this from Emma Raducanu sums up the magnitude of her achievement. She has become the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam singles final. It is unbelievable.

EMMA RADUCANU THROUGH TO US OPEN FINAL!
04:44 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu 6-1 6-4 Maria SakkariSimply stunning. Raducanu puts her hands to her head in disbelief before breaking into the widest smile I’ve ever seen. The 18-year-old qualifier is through to a Grand Slam final - there are no words to describe this achievement.

EMMA RADUCANU THROUGH TO US OPEN FINAL! Emma Raducanu 6-1 6-4 Maria Sakkari
04:43 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu lands the first serve but Sakkari digs in to win the point after a tense opening rally. Raducanu lets out a yell as she wins the next point, with Sakkari finding the net, before a stunning forehand down the line moves her to 30-15. Sakkari’s forehand hits the baseline but Raducanu wrestles back control of the rally and forces the error from the Greek to set up match point!And she’s done it! Sealed with a forehand smash! Simply stunning from Emma Raducanu - she is through to the US Open final!

*Emma Raducanu 6-1 5-4 Maria Sakkari
04:38 , Jamie BraidwoodSakkari claims the opening two points on her serve as she attempts to stay in this semi-final and a loose shot from Raducanu at the net takes it to 40-15. Raducanu forces the error from Sakkari with an aggressive return that lands at her feet but Sakkari seals the hold after landing a first serve out wide and dispatching the forehand winner. How’s your nerve, Emma Raducanu? You’re about to serve for a place in the US Open final. She hasn’t faced a break point in this set yet.

Emma Raducanu 6-1 5-3 Maria Sakkari*
04:34 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu does not blink as she faces her next service game. She lands three first serves to quickly move to 40-0, as Sakkari cannot respond. The Greek does hit a clean winner after finally getting into a rally on the Raducanu serve - before she hits another good return to force Raducanu into the forehand miss into the net to bring up 40-30. But that’s a huge gift. Sakkari goes wide with her forehand and that seals a priceless hold for Raducanu. She is one game away from the US Open final.

*Emma Raducanu 6-1 4-3 Maria Sakkari
04:29 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s relentless from Raducanu. She continues to go after the Sakkari serve and the 17th seed cannot deal with the bombardment of pressure. Three quickfire errors from Sakkari sets up three break points for Raducanu. Sakkari saves the first as Raducanu hits the net with a backhand before the Greek hits an ace out wide to save the second. Huge moment, this - and it brings out the point of the match! Raducanu somehow managed to return at least three would-be winners with some sensational defence, but Sakkari finally manages to put away the winner to huge applause from the Arthur Ashe crowd. Raducanu immediately increases the pressure on Sakkari again as she sets up another break point - but Sakkari is able to provide a further winner to move back to deuce. A forehand down the line from Raducanu misses by inches but Sakkari can’t win the game as she goes long with a forehand. It leads to another break point for Raducanu as Sakkari nets - her fifth opportunity of this game. But Sakkari is not giving this up without a fight. She saves another break point with a volley after a bold second serve, and finally seals the hold as Raducanu can’t return her serve. That was a monster of a game - and Sakkari fights on.

Emma Raducanu 6-1 4-2 Maria Sakkari*
04:19 , Jamie BraidwoodWonderful from Raducanu. She holds her next service game to love with the minimum of fuss. Two more of them and she will be in the US Open final.

*Emma Raducanu 6-1 3-2 Maria Sakkari
04:16 , Jamie BraidwoodThat’s tight from Sakkari. Her fifth double fault brings up 15-30 before Raducanu establishes control in the next rally, with the Greek then missing with a tired-looking drop shot that dropped into the net to set up two break points for Raducanu. Sakkari saves the first before she benefits from a net cord from Raducanu in the middle of the next rally to hang on and save the second. An ace up the line is followed by a backhand from Raducanu that hits the net. Sakkari greets the hold with a huge roar - that could have been the match right there.

Emma Raducanu 6-1 3-1 Maria Sakkari*
04:11 , Jamie BraidwoodA double fault from Raducanu is followed up by a brilliant point from the 18-year-old, with a backhand down the line complemented with a crosscourt forehand winner to move to 30-15. Another highlight-reel winner, this time on the backhand side, brings up game point and Raducanu seals the hold with an ace down the middle. This is unbelievable. How is Raducanu making this look so easy?

Watch: HIIT training 101

Raducanu breaks! *Emma Raducanu 6-1 2-1 Maria Sakkari
04:07 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu takes aim at a Sakkari second serve at 15-15 but hits the backhand wide - that was a chance. But there’s no mistake on the following point as she attacks another Sakkari second serve with a clipped backhand winner out wide. And Raducanu comes out on top following another long rally to set up two break points.Wow, incredible, Raducanu again puts Sakkari under pressure with another aggressive return, and her opponent can’t respond as she goes long with a forehand!

Emma Raducanu 6-1 1-1 Maria Sakkari*
04:03 , Jamie BraidwoodBrilliant from Raducanu. She keeps her eyes on a challenging backhand volley before finishing the point with a forehand winner that clips the line. However, her first double fault of the match brings up 30-30, but Sakkari then goes long following an exchange of groundstrokes from behind the baseline. Raducanu then comes out on top of another lengthy rally, with Sakkari this time going wide her attempt to go down the line. That’s a nice hold from Raducanu.

*Emma Raducanu 6-1 0-1 Maria Sakkari
03:59 , Jamie BraidwoodThat should settle Sakkari down. She comes out for her opening service game of the second set and holds to love, sealed with an emphatic ace down the middle of the court.

Raducanu takes the opening set! Emma Raducanu 6-1 Maria Sakkari*
03:55 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu’s serve out wide hits the mark again and Sakkari cannot keep her return inside the baseline as Raducanu moves to 30-15. An unforced error from Sakkari into the net then brings up two set points for Raducanu - and Sakkari hits another forehand long to seal a dream opening set for the 18-year-old. She could not has asked for that to go any better - what a start. Raducanu has simply won every single big point of the match so far, saving all seven of the break points she was faced.

*Emma Raducanu 5-1 Maria Sakkari
03:51 , Jamie BraidwoodThe quality of Raducanu’s returning here is extraordinary - she wins the opening point of Sakkari’s next service game with another brilliant winner out wide. Sakkari, who is now serving to stay in the set, responds with an important ace that even Raducanu can do nothing about before she clips the line with a crosscourt winner. She tries to get herself fired up as she then moves to 40-15, but another double fault, her fourth so far, illustrates the problems she is having at the moment. Raducanu goes wide with a backhand as Sakkari finally gets on the board.

Emma Raducanu 5-0 Maria Sakkari*
03:47 , Jamie BraidwoodConfident serving from Raducanu sees her move to 40-15, but Sakkari is really struggling to keep the ball in the court at the moment. She is up to 14 unforced errors after her latest shot goes long of the baseline. Raducanu then comes out on top of an exchange at the net after getting slightly fortunate with a drop shot that Sakkari should have put away. But everything is going Raducanu’s way at the moment and that was a simple hold for the 18-year-old, her first of the match.

Raducanu breaks! *Emma Raducanu 4-0 Maria Sakkari
03:43 , Jamie BraidwoodSakkari claims the first point of her next game with a quick-fire one-two punch, but Raducanu is doing a great job of attacking the Greek’s serve. She puts Sakkari under pressure to win the next point before Sakkari makes the double to set up an opening for Raducanu at 15-30. Raducanu looks frustrated after going long with a forehand, and that’s too good from Sakkari at 30-30 as she hits a big serve down the T and follows it up with the crosscourt winner. But that only serves to bring out Raducanu’s best point of the match, as she attacks Sakkari with two strong groundstrokes before playing a cushioned volley at the net to move to deuce. And wow, that is brilliant from Raducanu. She viciously goes after the Sakkari serve and pins the Greek behind the baseline to bring up a break point - which she then saves with impressive depth of her own. Sakkari swivels to plays a backhand winner across court but a forehand volley under no pressure on the next point goes long to bring up another deuce. A stunning backhand winner down the line from Raducanu earns her another break point. And a double fault from Sakkari hands Raducanu a second break!Can you believe this?! Raducanu is 2/3 on break points while Sakkari is 0/7.

Emma Raducanu 3-0 Maria Sakkari*
03:34 , Jamie BraidwoodSakkari responds with a booming forehand winner across court to quickly move into a 0-30 lead in the next game, before a forehand from Raducanu drops long of the baseline to bring up three break-back points. Sakkari has a look at a second serve but hits the forehand into the middle of the net before Raducanu meets a backhand volley at the net to force Sakkari into the miss and save the second. A wild swing from Sakkari goes wide as the third break point goes begging, but another one quickly presents itself as Raducanu goes long when under pressure with a forehand from behind the baseline. A wicked serve down the T from Raducanu saves the fourth break point, and she follows that up with a brilliant second serve out wide on deuce. And Raducanu finally escapes as she puts Sakkari on the back foot with a crosscourt forehand, as she holds!Raducanu has saved seven break points so far but holds a 3-0 lead in the opening set. It’s a dream start.

Raducanu breaks! *Emma Raducanu 2-0 Maria Sakkari
03:28 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu wins the opening point on the Sakkari serve as she extends the rally under pressure to force the miss from her opponent. She attacks Sakkari’s second serve on the next point but hits the forehand long, before Raducanu comes out on top in the latest lengthy rally to bring up 15-30. Sakkari goes big on her second serve but misses to set up two break points for Raducanu - before Sakkari nets on the next point!It’s advantage Raducanu early in the opening set!

Emma Raducanu 1-0 Maria Sakkari*
03:23 , Jamie BraidwoodSakkari wins the opening point of the match as she comes out on top in a lengthy rally as Raducanu hits the net with a forehand. Raducanu nets again following a second long rally but an ace out wide at 0-30 is welcomed. Raducanu then steps into a forehand at 15-30 but hits the shot long of the baseline to bring up two break points for Sakkari. The 17th seed goes long on the first break point before Raducanu saves the second with a stunning backhand winner across court to bring up deuce. The pressure continues as Sakkari forces Raducanu into the miss to bring up another break point, but then goes long again as her third chance goes calling. Raducanu responds with a fierce ace down the middle before Sakkari nets to bring a long opening game to a close. It’s an important hold for Raducanu after facing three break points. And breathe...

*Emma Raducanu 0-0 Maria Sakkari
03:18 , Jamie BraidwoodHere we go! Can Emma Raducanu continue her extraordinary run in the US Open? The 18-year-old will serve first in the biggest match of her career. *denotes next server

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
03:11 , Jamie Braidwood“With each match I’ve been in confidence, I’m just looking forward to getting out there tonight,” says Emma Raducanu in her pre-match interview. “To play on Ashe in a night match under the lights is one of the most iconic things in tennis, so I can’t wait to get out there.”“I’ve just been focusing on myself,” she says when asked whether she has been inspired by Leylah Fernandez’s victory in the previous semi-final. Raducanu has just been introduced to the Arthur Ashe crowd.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
03:02 , Jamie Braidwood“Nerves and execution,” says 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, when asked for the factors that will decide this semi-final. “These teenagers have nothing to lose. They are dangerous. Sakkari has the biggest firepower but Emma has been surprising everybody,” she says on Amazon Prime.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:52 , Jamie BraidwoodLeylah Fernandez said in her on-court interview that she couldn’t have won without the support of the crowd on Arthur Ashe. The fans in the stadium were fully behind Fernandez, which certainly made things tough for Sabalenka on the crucial points in the match. Raducanu is likely to receive a similar backing from the Arthur Ashe crowd, with the 18-year-old having also enjoyed loud support in her previous matches on the court.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:44 , Jamie BraidwoodOf course, Emma Raducanu could then break that record if she defeats Maria Sakkari, which is coming up next. A meeting of two unseeded teenagers in a Grand Slam final would be an unmissable occasion and a dream final at what has been a sensational US Open. “I don’t care [who I play],” Fernandez beams. “I just want to play in the final!”

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:41 , Jamie BraidwoodFernandez 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 SabalenkaAryna Sabalenka simply could not hold her serve in that final game, and her second serve routinely let her down throughout the match. But what a story. Leylah Fernandez continues her incredible run in New York and becomes the youngest US Open finalist since Serena Williams more than 20 years ago. “I have no idea,” she says when asked how she won that match.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:38 , Jamie BraidwoodFernandez 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 SabalenkaThat’s a nervy start from Sabalenka. She hits a backhand into the net before a second serve misses by a huge distance to set up 0-30. Oh my word. Another double fault from Sabalenka brings up three match points from Fernandez, before a forehand from Sabalenka goes long!Unbelievable. Leylah Fernandez is into the US Open final!

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:34 , Jamie BraidwoodFernandez 7-6, 4-6, 5-4 Sabalenka*Fernandez opens her next service game with two clean winners, the second a forehand volley into the open court which just clipped the back of the baseline. An ace from Fernandez brings up game point but that is then followed up by a double fault. Sabalenka then hits a wild forehand wide on a second serve from Fernandez to earn the 19-year-old a crucial hold. Bit of a gift that from Sabalenka, who must now hold serve to stay in the match.This is unbelievably tense. This extraordinary US Open continues to deliver.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:30 , Jamie Braidwood*Fernandez 7-6, 4-6, 4-4 SabalenkaTwo big serves from Sabalenka builds a 30-0 lead in her next service game. But Fernandez hits back with two stunning winners to move to 30-30, this first on a Sabalenka second-serve and the second a forehand down the line which clipped the paint. A crosscourt winner from Sabalenka is followed up by a forehand miss from Fernandez. Big hold from Sabalenka to level the scores.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:27 , Jamie BraidwoodFernandez 7-6, 4-6, 4-3 Sabalenka*Goodness. Sabalenka quickly wins the next three points to set up three break-back points on the Fernandez serve. The 19-year-old pumps her fist before she saves the first with a deft drop shot. Sabalenka then sends a wild backhand wide before showing her frustration, and then puts another loose forehand into the net on a second-serve from Fernandez! What was she doing?!Sabalenka responds in style, however, with a big backhand winner from the baseline on the next point to set up another break-back chance. And this time she takes it. Again she goes on the attack but this time her return is much more controlled. She hits a stunning crosscourt winner on Fernandez’s second serve to put this deciding set back on serve. What a match this is proving to be, with Emma Raducanu still to come!

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:21 , Jamie Braidwood*Fernandez 7-6, 4-6, 4-2 SabalenkaTense from Sabalenka. The 23-year-old was in a comfortable position at 40-15 but suddenly finds herself at deuce after a nervy double fault. Brilliant defence from Fernandez on the next point sets up break point, as she extends the rally to force Sabalenka into the error. Sabalenka saves the break point with a huge serve that Fernandez can’t return, but another break point quickly follows as a backhand drifts long. A smart return from Fernandez then puts Sabalenka under further pressure, and another miss sees Fernandez make the break! She’s now just two games away from the US Open final!

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:16 , Jamie BraidwoodFernandez 7-6, 4-6, 3-2 Sabalenka*That’s a very impressive hold to love from Fernandez to move into a 3-2 lead in the deciding set. She moved Sabalenka around the court with precision, although the Belarusian continues to look strong on her own serve.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
02:01 , Jamie BraidwoodLeylah Fernandez has now been taken to three sets in her last four matches at the US Open, but the 19-year-old has already beaten some of the best players in the world in reaching this stage when her matches go the distance. Fernandez defeated Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina in three sets to advance to the semi-finals, so there is plenty of game time already in her legs. Sabalenka, meanwhile, has won her past four matches in straight sets and should be the fresher of the two players here. Fernandez holds her serve in the opening game of the deciding set.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:55 , Jamie BraidwoodAnd into a deciding set we go! The destruction of her racket at 2-3 seems to have made a difference for Sabalenka as the world No 2 hits back to seal the second set 6-4. A shot of Emma Raducanu shows the 18-year-old keeping warm on an exercise bike while practicing her volleys with her coach. That’s a new one! With this semi-final now going into a decider, Raducanu’s semi-final has been pushed back and might not get underway now until around 3am UK time.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:51 , Jamie BraidwoodNow, that could be a big moment. Sabalenka has broken Fernandez’s serve at 4-4 and will now serve for the second set to take us into a decider...

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:45 , Jamie BraidwoodIf you wanted a statistic to show how impressive Emma Raducanu has been at the US Open - apart from the fact that she is yet to drop a set, of course - then you only have to look at how effective she has been when returning serve. Raducanu’s return points win percentage is 53 percent through to the quarter-finals, the highest out of any player in the tournament. That figure rises to 61 per cent when she faces a second serve, which increases the pressure on her opponent to make sure their first attempt lands. It sets up an intriguing match-up against the big-serving Maria Sakkari. The 17th seed’s average first serve speed of 107 miles per hour ranks highly amongst the field and it was dominant in her quarter-final win against Karolina Pliskova. Sakkari won an astonishing 24 of 26 points on the back of her first serve as she claimed a 6-4, 6-4 win, without giving up a single break point.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:41 , Jamie BraidwoodAryna Sabalenka is feeling the pressure as she looks to respond against Leylah Fernandez. The world No 2 was given a warning from the umpire after she obliterated her racket in frustration, as Fernandez cancelled out her early break of serve at the start of the second set. We’re on serve at 3-3 in the second and Sabalenka is desperately trying to get some support from the packed crowd at Arthur Ashe, who are fully behind the 19-year-old Canadian.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:35 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu has the talent and mentality to ensure her extraordinary summer surge is far from a flash in the pan, according to the last British woman to reach the US Open semi-finals in 1983.Jo Durie, the former British number one and world number five, believes Raducanu, who made her unlikely breakthrough when she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this summer, has already proven she has what it takes.“She’s got such a good solid game – she can hit the ball hard at the right time, and her serve stands up under pressure,” Durie told the PA news agency. “She works very hard at her game and with all of that behind her, for me it points to her being consistently up there in the future.”

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:25 , Jamie BraidwoodIn Maria Sakkari, Raducanu faces an experienced and fiercely competitive opponent. The 17th seed reached her first Grand Slam semi-final of her career at the French Open earlier this year and has defeated former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and world No 4 Karolina Pliskova in advancing to the last four. The Greek, who is currently ranked 132 places above Raducanu, insists she is not the favourite for tonight’s semi-final, however. “Obviously she’s having the tournament of her life,” Sakkari said. ”She deserves to be here. She has won all these matches. But I wouldn’t call myself the favourite. I think we all have equal chances of winning the semi-finals and then winning the title. I would give 25 per cent to each starting tomorrow, then 50 to the two finalists.”

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:14 , Jamie BraidwoodWow, incredible from Leylah Fernandez! The 19-year-old has taken the first set against world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka on a tiebreak at the Arthur Ashe stadium. Sabalenka got off to a fast start, breaking Fernandez’s opening service to take a 3-0 lead. The Belarusian was looking incredibly strong, especially on her first serve, but Fernandez stayed calm to stage an impressive comeback. The Canadian hauled herself back into contention before breaking Sabalenka to move to 4-4. She then saved a set point in her final service game to force the tiebreak, which she won 7-3. The crowd at Arthur Ashe are fully behind the 19-year-old star.

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
01:05 , Jamie BraidwoodEmma Raducanu has done a remarkable job of staying in the moment during her sensational run to the US Open semi-finals and says she is taking her journey one step at a time as bids to reach the final on her debut appearance in New York. “I have just been focusing one day at a time, taking care of each day,” she said. “When you’re playing tournaments, you just get into this sort of auto-pilot mode of your routines, recovering on the day off in between. I didn’t expect to be here at all. I think my flights were booked at the end of qualifying, so it’s a nice problem to have. I’m just really enjoying the experience.”

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
Friday 10 September 2021 00:55 , Jamie BraidwoodRaducanu faces a quick turnaround from her last match, which was a stunning 6-3 6-4 victory over the Olympic champion Belinda Bencic. The 18-year-old faced early pressure as she dropped her opening service game but then took over the contest, dominating the world No 12 in what was the toughest match of her career so far. “I knew it was going to be an extremely difficult match,” Raducanu said. “It took me some adjusting at the beginning to get used to her ball speed, how aggressive she was. Once I adjusted, I settled in, I didn’t over-press as much. I found a way to win, but it was very difficult to play against someone at such a high level.”

Emma Raducanu vs Maria Sakkari
Friday 10 September 2021 00:45 , Jamie BraidwoodHello and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the US Open semi-final between Emma Raducanu and Maria Sakkari. Whether you’ve stayed up late for this one or have set an early alarm, you’ve already made the right call, with 18-year-old Raducanu aiming to extend her remarkable and historic run in New York by becoming the first British woman since 1977 to reach a Grand Slam singles final. The teenage qualifier has sparked on her way to the semi-final stage, and this is not one to be missed.