<p>British 18-year-old qualifier Emma Raducanu and Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez completed astonishing runs to their historic first Grand Slam final on Thursday at the US Open.</p>.<p>Raducanu became the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final, and the youngest Slam finalist in 17 years, by ousting Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4.</p>.<p>"I'm in the final and I can't actually believe it," Raducanu said.</p>.<p>Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4, for her third Open win over a top-five rival, a feat not seen at a Slam since Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2012.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/going-for-gold-wheelchair-stars-can-make-history-at-us-open-1028640.html" target="_blank">Read | Going for Gold: Wheelchair stars can make history at US Open</a></strong></p>.<p>"Now I can say I've done a pretty good job of achieving my dreams," Fernandez said.</p>.<p>In a real-life epic as amazing as any fairy-tale, the teen prodigies will meet Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where one of them will claim her first Grand Slam title.</p>.<p>"Is there any expectation?" Raducanu said. "I'm a qualifier so technically on paper there's no pressure on me."</p>.<p>It's the first Slam final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open, and just the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since 1968).</p>.<p>"I just want to play a final," Fernandez said. "I'm going to enjoy my victory and worry about it tomorrow."</p>.<p>Raducanu is the youngest Slam finalist since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won at Wimbledon in 2004.</p>.<p>She became only the second woman ranked outside the top 100 to reach a US Open final after unranked Kim Clijsters came out of retirement and won the 2009 US Open.</p>.<p>"Today I wasn't thinking about anyone else except for myself," Raducanu said.</p>.<p>Raducanu is trying to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977 and the first British woman to win the US Open since Wade in 1968.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/us-open-djokovic-moves-to-semis-2-wins-from-slam-title-1028604.html" target="_blank">Read | US Open: Djokovic moves to semis, 2 wins from Slam title</a></strong></p>.<p>Wade and British legend Tim Henman were watching.</p>.<p>"Tim is such a big inspiration," said Raducanu. "He has been helping me, telling me take one point at a time. You have to stay in the moment and can't get ahead of yourself."</p>.<p>Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, had earlier ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina before Sabalenka, 23, become her third top-five victim.</p>.<p>"I had opportunities but I didn't use them in the key moments," Sabalenka said. "I didn't play well. She deserved this win."</p>.<p>Raducanu could become the first US Open champion not to lose a set since Serena Williams in 2014.</p>.<p>Raducanu saved three break points in her opening service game then broke to lead 2-0. Sakkari double faulted to hand the teen a 4-0 edge and she took the first set in 36 minutes, aided by Sakkari's 17 unforced errors.</p>.<p>An errant Sakkari forehand in the third game of the second set handed Raducanu the only break she needed as she advanced after 84 minutes on an overhead smash.</p>.<p>"I played some of my best tennis to date," Raducanu said. "I knew I'd have to be super aggressive and execute and I'm just really happy with today's performance."</p>.<p>Fernandez, never deeper than the third round in six prior Slam starts, showed the mental toughness preached by her father-coach Jorge in the tie-breaker.</p>.<p>Sabalenka netted a forehand with a wide-open court to hand Fernandez a 3-2 edge. The teen never trailed after that, winning the last four points to claim the first set in 53 minutes.</p>.<p>"That's years and years of work and tears and blood and sacrifice," said Fernandez of her mental fortitude.</p>.<p>The Ashe stadium music director played the Eric Clapton song "Layla" as the crowd roared when she took the set.</p>.<p>"I have no idea (how I won)," said Fernandez. "I'd say it's thanks to the New York crowd. They helped me. They cheered for me. They never gave up."</p>.<p>Fernandez sent a forehand long to surrender a break in the ninth game and Sabalenka held at love to take the second set.</p>.<p>In the third, Fernandez held to 5-4 and Sabalenka crumbled with the match on the line, issuing back-to-back double faults to 0-40 and sending a forehand long -- her 52nd unforced error -- to fall after two hours and 21 minutes.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>British 18-year-old qualifier Emma Raducanu and Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez completed astonishing runs to their historic first Grand Slam final on Thursday at the US Open.</p>.<p>Raducanu became the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final, and the youngest Slam finalist in 17 years, by ousting Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4.</p>.<p>"I'm in the final and I can't actually believe it," Raducanu said.</p>.<p>Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4, for her third Open win over a top-five rival, a feat not seen at a Slam since Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2012.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/going-for-gold-wheelchair-stars-can-make-history-at-us-open-1028640.html" target="_blank">Read | Going for Gold: Wheelchair stars can make history at US Open</a></strong></p>.<p>"Now I can say I've done a pretty good job of achieving my dreams," Fernandez said.</p>.<p>In a real-life epic as amazing as any fairy-tale, the teen prodigies will meet Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where one of them will claim her first Grand Slam title.</p>.<p>"Is there any expectation?" Raducanu said. "I'm a qualifier so technically on paper there's no pressure on me."</p>.<p>It's the first Slam final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open, and just the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since 1968).</p>.<p>"I just want to play a final," Fernandez said. "I'm going to enjoy my victory and worry about it tomorrow."</p>.<p>Raducanu is the youngest Slam finalist since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won at Wimbledon in 2004.</p>.<p>She became only the second woman ranked outside the top 100 to reach a US Open final after unranked Kim Clijsters came out of retirement and won the 2009 US Open.</p>.<p>"Today I wasn't thinking about anyone else except for myself," Raducanu said.</p>.<p>Raducanu is trying to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977 and the first British woman to win the US Open since Wade in 1968.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/us-open-djokovic-moves-to-semis-2-wins-from-slam-title-1028604.html" target="_blank">Read | US Open: Djokovic moves to semis, 2 wins from Slam title</a></strong></p>.<p>Wade and British legend Tim Henman were watching.</p>.<p>"Tim is such a big inspiration," said Raducanu. "He has been helping me, telling me take one point at a time. You have to stay in the moment and can't get ahead of yourself."</p>.<p>Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, had earlier ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina before Sabalenka, 23, become her third top-five victim.</p>.<p>"I had opportunities but I didn't use them in the key moments," Sabalenka said. "I didn't play well. She deserved this win."</p>.<p>Raducanu could become the first US Open champion not to lose a set since Serena Williams in 2014.</p>.<p>Raducanu saved three break points in her opening service game then broke to lead 2-0. Sakkari double faulted to hand the teen a 4-0 edge and she took the first set in 36 minutes, aided by Sakkari's 17 unforced errors.</p>.<p>An errant Sakkari forehand in the third game of the second set handed Raducanu the only break she needed as she advanced after 84 minutes on an overhead smash.</p>.<p>"I played some of my best tennis to date," Raducanu said. "I knew I'd have to be super aggressive and execute and I'm just really happy with today's performance."</p>.<p>Fernandez, never deeper than the third round in six prior Slam starts, showed the mental toughness preached by her father-coach Jorge in the tie-breaker.</p>.<p>Sabalenka netted a forehand with a wide-open court to hand Fernandez a 3-2 edge. The teen never trailed after that, winning the last four points to claim the first set in 53 minutes.</p>.<p>"That's years and years of work and tears and blood and sacrifice," said Fernandez of her mental fortitude.</p>.<p>The Ashe stadium music director played the Eric Clapton song "Layla" as the crowd roared when she took the set.</p>.<p>"I have no idea (how I won)," said Fernandez. "I'd say it's thanks to the New York crowd. They helped me. They cheered for me. They never gave up."</p>.<p>Fernandez sent a forehand long to surrender a break in the ninth game and Sabalenka held at love to take the second set.</p>.<p>In the third, Fernandez held to 5-4 and Sabalenka crumbled with the match on the line, issuing back-to-back double faults to 0-40 and sending a forehand long -- her 52nd unforced error -- to fall after two hours and 21 minutes.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>