JAKARTA - British teenager Emma Raducanu made history as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title by winning in straight sets over Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the final match of the US Open women's singles in New York, Saturday local time (Sunday WIB).
Raducanu, 18, is the first British woman in 44 years to win a Grand Slam crown after beating 73rd-ranked 19-year-old Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 to take home the top prize of $2.5 million or around IDR 35.6 billion.
"I knew I had to dig deeper," Raducanu said as quoted by AFP.
"It was a very difficult match but I think the level was very high. I had to play my best tennis."
The success was a remarkable achievement for the 150th-ranked teenager, who has not dropped a set in three qualifying and seven main draw matches over two weeks on New York's hardcourts.
Raducanu became the first Briton to claim a US Open crown since Virginia Wade in 1968 -- Wade also became the last British woman to take a Grand Slam singles title in 1977 at Wimbledon.
Queen Elizabeth II was among the first to pay tribute to Raducanu's extraordinary victory.
"This is a tremendous achievement at such a young age, and a testament to your hard work and dedication," the British monarch said in a statement.
Wade and British men's tennis legend Tim Henman, also a sold-out 23,700 crowd, witnessed history at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first women's Slam final between an unseeded player.
"It means a lot to have Virginia here as well as Tim and to have British legends and icons like that, to follow in their footsteps and it gave me the belief that I really could do it," said Raducanu.
Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, has knocked out defending champion Naomi Osaka, second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and three-time Slam winner Angelique Kerber on her epic run to the final.
"I'm very proud of myself with the way I've played over the last two weeks," said Fernandez.
"I wish I could come back here in the final and get a proper trophy," Fernandez added tearfully, before paying tribute to New York as the city marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
"I know it's very difficult today for New York," said Fernandez.
"I just want to say I wish I could be as strong and resilient as New York over the last 20 years."
Raducanu is the youngest US Open champion since Williams in 1999 and the first US Open women's champion not to drop a set since Williams in 2014.
The battle of the prodigy talents was the first Slam final for a teenager since 17-year-old Serena Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis for the US Open crown in 1999.
"We both played fearless tennis for two weeks," Raducanu said. "I hope we play each other in more tournaments and hopefully finals."
"This shows the future of women's tennis," she said.
Raducanu has the least Grand Slam experience of any women's Grand Slam winner. She reached the fourth round in July at Wimbledon, Raducanu's only previous Grand Slam appearance.
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