US Open Lookahead: Raducanu, Fernandez in teen women’s final

NEW YORK (AP) — LOOKAHEAD TO SATURDAY

Tennis will have its youngest Grand Slam champion in 17 years when 18-year-old Emma Raducanu faces 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez. It’s the first major final between unseeded players in the professional era and the winner becomes the youngest Grand Slam winner since Maria Sharapova’s victory at Wimbledon in 2004. Fernandez has the tougher road to the final, with four straight three-set victories. Three of them were against players ranked in the top five. The Canadian has spent 12 hours, 45 minutes on the court, five hours more than Raducanu. The qualifier from Britain hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament, trying to become the first player to win the U.S. Open without doing so since Serena Williams in 2014. Williams, then 17, played in the last Grand Slam final between two teenagers when she beat Martina Hingis, 18, at the 1999 U.S. Open. The mixed doubles final, followed by a 20th anniversary remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, precede the match in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

SATUDAY’S FORECAST

Sunny. High of 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 Celsius).

FRIDAY’S WEATHER

Sunny. High of 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 Celsius).

FRIDAY’S KEY RESULTS

Men’s Semifinals: No. 1 Novak Djokovic beat No. 4 Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2; No. 2 Daniil Medvedev beat No. 12 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.

STATS OF THE DAY

9 — U.S. Open finals for Djokovic, passing Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl for most in the professional era.

16 — Consecutive victories for Zverev, a career-best streak, before losing to Djokovic in the semifinals.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Look, I’ve been using the same shampoo on game day, kind of using the same jeans on game day, I think the same socks and underwear. It’s taken to a completely different level.” — Jorge Fernandez, father and coach of Leylah Fernandez, on being superstitious about his daughter’s success.

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