The American Open grand slam event held in New York, featured two immigrant athletes, one from Canada and the other from England. Emma Raducanu, won the US Open Tennis Tournament after defeating Canadian rival Leylah Annie Fernandez in the women’s singles final.
“They bring a flair that is very unique for them. I’m glad that they’re touching the Asian community. I think that’s a huge opportunity in the women’s game.”
Two immigrant athletes, one from Canada and the other from England, competed in the American Open grand slam tournament held in New York, USA. The winner was Emma Raducanu, 18, a British citizen, daughter of a Chinese mother and Romanian father. Raducanu, who won the first set 6-4 and the second set 6-3, defeated her rival Fernandez and won the Grand Slam.
She also made history as the first British female tennis player to win the Grand Slam in the last 44 years. “I owe this trophy to my Chinese mother the most,” said Raducanu, who was born in Canada and moved to England with her family at the age of 2, after receiving the award. “She taught me the Chinese discipline.”
“I see that they bring a flair that is very unique for them. I’m glad that they’re touching the Asian community. I think that’s a huge opportunity in the women’s game,” said the opponent’s father, Fernandez.
Raducanu became the youngest to reach the finals of major tennis events since 1968, heralding the start of a new era in tennis.
The title of the youngest tennis player to win the US Open, which Maria Sharapova won in 2004, now belongs to Raducanu. Emma Raducanu, who was at the 150th place in the WTA World Rankings before the US Open, will rise to the 23rd place next week. While Raducanu was 361st in the world ranking, she was in the last 16 at the Wimbledon court, where she appeared for the first time.
The British athlete stated that she did not expect to reach the US Open Tennis Tournament finals (US Open).
She had to cancel her already purchased flight ticket due to her sudden surge in match wins.
Before the final, “I don’t feel pressure to win. The person does the printing himself. I have expectations for the level I’m at and the performance I want to show, but there is no pressure for the results,” Raducanu said.
With the following statements, Emma Raducanu showed how strong of an attitude she had during the competition and how it reflected on her game:
“The biggest thief of happiness, in my opinion, is comparing yourself and your successes to others. I mean, I haven’t raced in 18 months, but here I am. This demonstrates that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
The coach is her father
Raducanu’s rival Leylah Fernandez was relatively unknown in the Philippines and Ecuador before beating defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round. She has since drawn plenty of attention from local media in both countries, with mentions of her family’s roots.
Fernandez was also born in Canada to an Ecuadorian father and a Filipino mother. He told Fernandez, who excelled at tennis, to quit school at the age of seven to focus on his studies. Then his father took the helm. Father Jorge, who has a football background, became his daughter’s coach.
When Fernandez’s success multiplied, her family moved to the United States for her when she was 12 years old. Fernandez’s father, who is left-handed, has been coaching her since the very beginning.
On the eve of her finals game, Fernandez’s dad and coach, Jorge, revealed to the media he’s glad that Leylah has gained fans in the Philippines.
“I truly appreciate the Filipino community backing up Leylah,” Jorge said. “She’s got Filipino blood in her. It’s so beautiful. I’m glad that they’ve embraced her. I hope that relationship can only grow between her and her community,” he said.
“I see they’re both (Fernandez and Raducanu) bringing a type of game that is not common right now on the circuit.
“I see that they bring a flair that is very unique for them. I’m glad that they’re touching the Asian community. I think that’s a huge opportunity in the women’s game,” he said.