Two unseeded players — Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez — faced each other in the US Open women’s singles final with Emma Raducanu prevailing 6-4, 6-3 in the end.

Raducanu created history by becoming the first-ever qualifier and the first British woman since 1977 to win a Grand Slam. She didn’t drop a single set in the entire tournament, winning all 20 of them.

With the victory, Raducanu became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977.

Furthermore, Raducanu is also the youngest women’s tennis player to win a major since Maria Sharapova upset Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final. Raducanu is the first women’s player to win the US Open without losing a set since Serena Williams in 2014. Raducanu played 14 sets this tournament, and won every single one.

 FACTS AND FIGURES

The French Open is played on clay, which owes its red colour to the crushed brick which forms the upper layer of the surface. There are three layers in all – one of limestone, one of clinker and one of stone – as well as drainage pipes. Clay is the slowest of surfaces. Along with the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, the French Open is one of the four historic tennis tournaments which make up the legendary Grand Slam.

The four tournaments all being played on different surfaces: Plexi cushion in Australia, clay at Roland Garros, grass at Wimbledon and Decoturf at the US Open. The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open are the four Grand Slam tournaments. The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January, the French Open in May/June, Wimbledon in June/July, and the US Open in August/September.