Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez are so similar in so many ways: They possess enviable quickness and anticipation. They take balls low to the ground and redirect them with ease. They donB次元官网网址檛 care how much better-known or more successful opponents are. They love the big moment.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 more. TheyB次元官网网址檙e both teenagers. TheyB次元官网网址檙e both unseeded at the U.S. Open. TheyB次元官网网址檙e both getting loud backing from the crowds. And now, remarkably, theyB次元官网网址檙e both Grand Slam finalists.

Raducanu, an 18-year-old from Britain who is ranked 150th, and Fernandez, a 19-year-old from Canada who is ranked 73rd, took wildly different paths to the championship match at Flushing Meadows on Thursday night. TheyB次元官网网址檒l be back in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday for the first major final between two teens since the 1999 U.S. Open, when Serena Williams, 17, defeated Martina Hingis, 18.

Raducanu became the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final in the professional era by overwhelming 17th-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4. Appearing in just her second major tournament, Raducanu won all 18 sets she has played during three matches in qualifying rounds and six in the main draw.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e just been taking care of each day,B次元官网网址� Raducanu said, B次元官网网址渁nd before you know it, three weeks later, IB次元官网网址檓 in the final and I canB次元官网网址檛 believe it.B次元官网网址�

Who can? Not Raducanu, who originally bought a plane ticket to leave New York after qualifying ended, figuring that might be the end of her stay.

Quickly, she led Sakkari 5-0 and nothing really changed from there. Sakkari earned seven break points in that span; Raducanu got three. The difference? Sakkari couldnB次元官网网址檛 convert any; Raducanu took advantage of two chances B次元官网网址� or, better, accepted her opponentB次元官网网址檚 generosity on two of them, once on a netted backhand, once on a double-fault.

By the end, Raducanu made just 17 unforced errors to SakkariB次元官网网址檚 33 and now is the youngest Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon at age 17 in 2004.

Fernandez isnB次元官网网址檛 much older B次元官网网址� her birthday was Monday B次元官网网址� and she made it through a semifinal filled with momentum swings to edge No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4.

B次元官网网址淭hey are both young. They play fearless,B次元官网网址� Sakkari said about Raducanu and Fernandez. B次元官网网址淭hey have nothing to lose playing against us.B次元官网网址�

Raducanu agreed with that assessment, saying: B次元官网网址淏eing young, there is an element of you do play completely free.B次元官网网址�

Sakkari is 26, Sabalenka 23. Each recently made her debut in a Grand Slam semifinal: Sakkari lost in that round at the French Open in June, Sabalenka at Wimbledon in July.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sad,B次元官网网址� Sakkari said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very broken that I couldnB次元官网网址檛 make it to my first final, once again. But IB次元官网网址檓 positive that it will come sometime soon.B次元官网网址�

Wimbledon was RaducanuB次元官网网址檚 only previous major tournament; she entered via a wild-card entry with a ranking outside the top 300 and made it to the fourth round before stopping in the second set because of trouble breathing. FernandezB次元官网网址檚 best past showing at a Slam was getting to the third round at Roland Garros last year.

At the outset Thursday, Sabalenka looked in control, claiming 12 of the first 14 points for a 3-0 lead. Just eight minutes had elapsed and most spectators were yet to reach their seats. Not until later did the 20,000-plus in the stands rally the fist-aloft Fernandez with chants of B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 go, Leylah! LetB次元官网网址檚 go!B次元官网网址� accompanied by rhythmic clapping.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad that whatever IB次元官网网址檓 doing on court, the fans are loving it B次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檓 loving it, too,B次元官网网址� Fernandez said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l say itB次元官网网址檚 magical.B次元官网网址�

At the end of the first set and again the third, it was Sabalenka who let things get away from her. In the last game, she double-faulted twice in a row to set up match point, then sailed a forehand long.

B次元官网网址淭his,B次元官网网址� Sabalenka said, B次元官网网址渋s what we call pressure.B次元官网网址�

No matter what, seemingly, Fernandez did not feel it. DidnB次元官网网址檛 waver. And why would she at this point? Her poise, much like RaducanuB次元官网网址檚, is as limitless as their potential.

This was the left-handed FernandezB次元官网网址檚 fourth consecutive three-set victory over a seeded opponent. First came No. 3 Naomi Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Open champion. Then came No. 16 Angelique Kerber, the 2016 champ. That was followed by No. 5 Elina Svitolina and Sabalenka.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no limit to what I can do. IB次元官网网址檓 just glad that right now everythingB次元官网网址檚 going well,B次元官网网址� said Fernandez, who could give Canada its second U.S. Open womenB次元官网网址檚 title in quick succession, following Bianca AndreescuB次元官网网址檚 triumph in 2019.

Raducanu and Fernandez are both very much citizens of the world.

Raducanu was born in Toronto to a Chinese mother and Romanian father; the family moved to England when Emma was 2.

Fernandez was born in Montreal to a Filipino Canadian mother and Ecuadorian father; the family moved to Florida after Leylah had success as a junior at age 12. Dad is also her coach, although he is not with her in New York, instead offering coaching tips in daily phone conversations.

Perhaps he told his daughter to let Sabalenka make all the mistakes in a tiebreaker, because thatB次元官网网址檚 what happened at the conclusion of the first set. Sabalenka went up 2-0 and then completely lost her way. Every point won by Fernandez came courtesy of a miss by Sabalenka.

B次元官网网址淚 wouldnB次元官网网址檛 say that she did something,B次元官网网址� Sabalenka said. B次元官网网址淚 would say that I destroy myself.B次元官网网址�

In the second set, Sabalenka regained her form and Fernandez took a step back. But by the third, it was FernandezB次元官网网址檚 time to shine.

B次元官网网址淣ow sheB次元官网网址檚 like (a) top-10 player,B次元官网网址� Sabalenka said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see how good she will be in the future.B次元官网网址�

Raducanu and Fernandez met each other for the first time when they were both playing in under-12 tournaments and bonded over their shared connection to Canada. On Saturday, they will share a court for the first time in a tour-level match.

They did play, however, in the Wimbledon junior tournamentB次元官网网址檚 second round in 2018.

Raducanu won that one. Three years later, theyB次元官网网址檒l play again B次元官网网址� on a grander stage and with much, much more at stake.

B次元官网网址擧oward Fendrich, The Associated Press