Just a thought .. Sakkari was forever looking up and talking at her mother and sister as well as her coach during the match .. how much, if at all, did this affect her concentration and make her tense and over keen to win ? .. Emma's parents were unable to get visas in time for the game .. I reckon that just being watched and encouraged by her coaches put her more at ease than having to 'please' her loved ones .. but who knows how the mind works under pressure
Just utterly unbelievable. The first ever qualifier, male or female, to reach a major final. I know the whole country is going to be behind her late on Saturday.
Just a thought .. Sakkari was forever looking up and talking at her mother and sister as well as her coach during the match .. how much, if at all, did this affect her concentration and make her tense and over keen to win ? .. Emma's parents were unable to get visas in time for the game .. I reckon that just being watched and encouraged by her coaches put her more at ease than having to 'please' her loved ones .. but who knows how the mind works under pressure
Emma talks about how her parents drilled into her the importance of being "in the moment" and not allowing any negativity to enter her head whatever the circumstances. Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer, two of the coolest players on court, were serial racket abusers when young but their change to showing limited emotion contributed to their success. Some, like McEnroe for example, "letting it all out" might have helped but, for every McEnroe, there will be a Nick Kyrgios who, for someone of his obvious talent, has won next to nothing because of his attitude both on and off the court.
Quite remarkably, despite being ranked 73 and having knocked out the 5th, 3rd and 2nd seeds to get to the final, Fernandez has been overshadowed.
Only in the UK Chris, not the states. Fernandez had more publicity after she beat Osaka, Svitolina and Sabalenko.
The final is a 50/50 match. Fernandez would shade it for me as she has experienced close matches, (if Emma lost first set how would she react ?) where Emma has steamrolled opponents. To do that 10 times in a row would seem impossible unless you were the goat, Serena Williams at her peak.
Both Sakkari and Bencic, were disengenuos when saying they didn't play well against Raducanu. I think that's called pressure because of the quality, from the other side of the net. I have spent decades* watching British players lose quarters, semi's and in Andy Murray's case many finals because of the quality of the opponent.
* Yes, you Tim Henman, live at Wimbledon or watching in the middle of the night from Australia. ( I was on center court when TBF Tim won on people's Sunday in his longest ever 5 set match)
Quite remarkably, despite being ranked 73 and having knocked out the 5th, 3rd and 2nd seeds to get to the final, Fernandez has been overshadowed.
Only in the UK Chris, not the states. Fernandez had more publicity after she beat Osaka, Svitolina and Sabalenko.
The final is a 50/50 match. Fernandez would shade it for me as she has experienced close matches, (if Emma lost first set how would she react ?) where Emma has steamrolled opponents. To do that 10 times in a row would seem impossible unless you were the goat, Serena Williams at her peak.
Both Sakkari and Bencic, were disengenuos when saying they didn't play well against Raducanu. I think that's called pressure because of the quality, from the other side of the net. I have spent decades* watching British players lose quarters, semi's and in Andy Murray's case many finals because of the quality of the opponent.
* Yes, you Tim Henman, live at Wimbledon or watching in the middle of the night from Australia.
I meant overshadowed in terms of Fernadez doing incredibly well to reach the final........but then an even younger, lower ranked player reaches the final too, and of course one who came through qualifying, the first ever to do so. So for me Raducanu's achievement is better.
You make a good point about the close matches though. We haven't seen Raducanu tested, ok she went 2-0 down early v Rogers but stormed back early. Her closest first set was 6-3 v Bencic, in her other first sets she's won them to 2, 2, 0, 2 and 1.
How will Emma react if the first set is tight, if it goes to a tie break, or if she even goes 1 set down?
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 tournament's second round in 2018.
Raducanu won that one. Three years later, they'll play again — on a grander stage and with much, much more at stake.
Quite amazing. Raducanu and Fernandez will already be rivals from the Junior Circuit, surely? Does anyone know their record?
Roll on Saturday evening.
No idea and I don’t even know what ER’s junior record was even if there is one. She literally has gone from a Bromley schoolgirl, hitting a tennis ball up against the wall during lockdown to the pinnacle of any womans playing career in a matter of months. It is the most incredible sporting story in years.
remember that google is the open door to most questions
It didn't have much for quite an obscure (and recent) question, bit Twitter did in the end. Ish. Still don't know how long it's been but it's the first time in the Open era:
The first all-teenage women's singles final since Serena Williams v Martina Hingis in 1999.
The first major final featuring unseeded players since the Open Era began in 1968.
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Fair play to whoever from Nike got her clothing deal signed up early.
Emma's parents were unable to get visas in time for the game .. I reckon that just being watched and encouraged by her coaches put her more at ease than having to 'please' her loved ones .. but who knows how the mind works under pressure
Q2: 6-3 7-5
Q3: 6-1 6-4
R1: 6-2 6-3
R2: 6-2 6-4
R3: 6-0 6-1
R4: 6-2 6-1
QF: 6-3 6-4
SF: 6-1 6-4
Just utterly unbelievable. The first ever qualifier, male or female, to reach a major final. I know the whole country is going to be behind her late on Saturday.
If she were to win, she would land just outside of the world’s top 20.
Incredible young lady.
Only in the UK Chris, not the states.
Fernandez had more publicity after she beat Osaka, Svitolina and Sabalenko.
The final is a 50/50 match. Fernandez would shade it for me as she has experienced close matches, (if Emma lost first set how would she react ?) where Emma has steamrolled opponents. To do that 10 times in a row would seem impossible unless you were the goat, Serena Williams at her peak.
Both Sakkari and Bencic, were disengenuos when saying they didn't play well against Raducanu. I think that's called pressure because of the quality, from the other side of the net. I have spent decades* watching British players lose quarters, semi's and in Andy Murray's case many finals because of the quality of the opponent.
* Yes, you Tim Henman, live at Wimbledon or watching in the middle of the night from Australia. ( I was on center court when TBF Tim won on people's Sunday in his longest ever 5 set match)
You make a good point about the close matches though. We haven't seen Raducanu tested, ok she went 2-0 down early v Rogers but stormed back early. Her closest first set was 6-3 v Bencic, in her other first sets she's won them to 2, 2, 0, 2 and 1.
How will Emma react if the first set is tight, if it goes to a tie break, or if she even goes 1 set down?
Raducanu and Fernandez will already be rivals from the Junior Circuit, surely? Does anyone know their record?
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 tournament's second round in 2018.
Raducanu won that one. Three years later, they'll play again — on a grander stage and with much, much more at stake.
ball up against the wall during lockdown to the pinnacle of any womans playing career in a matter of months. It is the most incredible sporting story in years.
Anyone know when the last time 2 unseeded players were in the men's or women's Grand Slam singles final?
Homeless drug addict attacked and robbed her own grandmother in Lincoln (thelincolnite.co.uk)
The first all-teenage women's singles final since Serena Williams v Martina Hingis in 1999.
The first major final featuring unseeded players since the Open Era began in 1968.
Amazing talent who seems completely unfazed by everything going on around here. Long may it continue. She's a breath of fresh air.