Realising 'absolute dream'

NEW YORK • Emma Raducanu fell asleep as a little girl to visions of running through the stands to celebrate a Grand Slam win and lived the moment on Saturday after capturing the US Open title.

The 18-year-old Briton beat 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 to become the first qualifier to win a Major, rolling through 20 sets without losing once to hoist the trophy.

The greatest underdog title run in tennis history occurred in front of Virginia Wade, the last British woman to become a Slam champion 44 years ago at Wimbledon.

The 76-year-old cheered the victory from the courtside seats and so did an infatuated Britain as the teenager played out a Hollywood ending on an improbable script.

"It's an absolute dream. You just have visions of yourself going up to the box, hugging everyone, celebrating," Raducanu said.

"For that moment to actually happen, I'm just so grateful."

Her childhood visions returned as she became the youngest Slam champion in 17 years (Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004) and the youngest US Open winner since 17-year-old Serena Williams in 1999.

"Going to celebrate with your team, trying to find your way up to the box, just seeing them after the match, that has been playing in my head a couple nights. I've fallen asleep to that," Raducanu said.

"To have the belief I did and actually executing, winning a Grand Slam, I can't believe it."

The new world No. 23 - she was a lowly 150th before the hard-court Major began - has adopted a nothing-to-lose attitude and it will not change any time soon despite Slam success.

"I don't feel absolutely any pressure," Raducanu said.

Years since the last British woman Virginia Wade won a Grand Slam title.

"I'm still only 18 years old. I'm just having a free swing at anything that comes my way. That's how I faced every match here in the States.

"It got me this trophy so I don't think I should change anything."

Raducanu never dropped more than five games in any set and that happened only once, in qualifying - she had to play three matches just to reach the main draw - although she insisted every win had its challenges.

"I faced a lot of adversity in every single one of my matches," she said. "What I did very well this tournament was press in the moments that I really needed to."

While she may have faced adversity, she has not faced reality, setting aside her smartphone and the world outside to focus on the final Major of the year.

"I still haven't checked my phone. I have absolutely no idea what's going on outside of the little world that we're in here," she said.

"The biggest triumph for me is how I managed to just not think of absolutely anything else except for my game plan, what I'm going to execute. I just completely zoned in and focused on my craft.

"I think that's definitely the biggest thing that's probably helped me to win this title."

So when it comes to things like how her US Open title will change her life, she has not given it a thought despite gaining over 500,000 followers in a day to garner a 1.4 million-plus following on Instagram.

"I haven't thought of any of that," Raducanu said. "I have no idea when I'm going home. I have no idea what I'm doing tomorrow. I'm just really trying to embrace the moment, take it all in."

A Big Apple shopping spree down Fifth Avenue would not be out of the question after she pocketed a winner's purse of US$2.5 million (S$3.4 million), almost 10 times her previous career earnings of US$303,000, but for now, she just wants to let her momentous win sink in.

"I definitely think it's the time to just switch off from any future thoughts or any plans, any schedule. I've got absolutely no clue. Right now, no care in the world, I'm just loving life."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS